Health
Despite protests, Hywel Dda forms appraisal group to discuss new ‘super hospital’ site
DESPITE the recent protests over the downgrading of Withybush General Hospital, Hywel Dda University Health Board is pushing ahead with its plans for a new ‘super hospital’, slated to be located somewhere in Carmarthenshire.
The board is inviting those members of the public who have expressed a wish to be part of future engagement, to submit expressions of interest to be part of the process to help assess and evaluate the shortlisted sites.
This technical evaluation process will result in a recommendation for the best location for the new urgent and planned care hospital.
Those against the idea say that Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest is already ideally located to serve a busy county with a mix of tourism, industry and agriculture. Carmarthenshire is too far some say, and could result of the loss of the golden hour needed to save lives in serious medical emergencies.
The health board says that it has recently submitted a Programme Business Case to the Welsh Government to secure a scale of investment never before seen in west Wales. One of the proposals within the business case is for a new urgent and planned care hospital, somewhere between Narberth in Pembrokeshire and St Clears in Carmarthenshire.
The board says to help select a site and as part of its commitment to engage with communities, it is contacting individuals, groups, and organisations from across the three counties requesting expressions of interest to join a group to assess and evaluate the shortlisted sites and to identify the best location for the hospital.
This exercise, The Herald has been told, includes writing to more than 200 people who participated in an engagement exercise last year, who had requested to be kept informed about future engagement activities.
Numbers will be limited but the health board is seeking a diverse and representative group. Those who become part of the process will be expected to attend a small number of half day workshops. While dates are yet to be confirmed we would expect participation to include a discussion on the process for the appraisal, understanding of criteria used for evaluating the shortlist of sites and to agree the relative weighting of those criteria. Finally scoring the shortlisted sites to arrive at a recommendation for the health board.
The process is being managed with support and advice from The Consultation Institute, a not-for-profit, independent body, which provides guidance on best practice for engaging with communities.
Lee Davies, Executive Director of Strategic Development and Operational Planning at Hywel Dda UHB, said: “Public representation on this appraisal group is of paramount importance, and we want it to be as representative as possible of the communities we serve. The group will also include health and care professionals, clinicians and public sector partners.
“We fully understand the strength of feeling that exists within our communities, which is why I would encourage those contacted to submit their expressions of interest to take part in this panel, and have their voices heard.
“The new urgent and planned care hospital is one element of our ambitious plan to improve health outcomes and well-being of our population. It forms part of our long-term strategy to deliver A Healthier Mid and West Wales, which followed extensive engagement and consultation in 2018.
“Our target is to shift from an illness service with a focus on hospital buildings and intervention, to a service that works across boundaries to prevent ill health or deterioration of health, providing help earlier, and wherever possible closer to home.”
While many details about future services across Hywel Dda are currently being developed and planned, the health board has published a list of Frequently Asked Questions to ensure the public are provided with the most up-to-date information.
Health
Phone calls to reduce GP visits for 42% of patients this winter
NEW research from the Royal Voluntary Service has shown that a simple phone call could significantly impact well-being, reducing GP visits by 42% among patients who receive regular telephone support.
The charity urges those feeling isolated this winter, particularly the elderly, to use telephone support services as a way to improve health and free up GP appointments, potentially reducing waiting times. It is estimated that if people experiencing loneliness in later life reduced their GP visits by just one appointment a year, this could free up 588,000 appointments annually.
As winter approaches, the Royal Voluntary Service reports that isolation can sharply increase, especially for adults over 75, with nearly half (47%) of people in this age group feeling lonelier in the colder months. Among those who live alone, one in six say they feel forgotten during winter, and 20% report having no one to turn to for emotional support.
In addition to loneliness, older generations face several winter worries, including increased heating costs, cited by 55% of respondents, and reduced ability to go out, which 29% said they dreaded as winter sets in.
To address these challenges, Royal Voluntary Service has launched the Stay Safe, Warm and Well campaign in partnership with Yakult. The campaign provides a guide for practical and emotional winter preparation, encouraging sign-ups for telephone support services and offering access to the Virtual Village Hall online community for events and activities. Practical advice on money-saving and energy-saving tips is also available through the guide.
Royal Voluntary Service Ambassador Elaine Paige, who has herself made support calls for the charity, described the positive impact these calls can have. “A warm, friendly phone call can transform someone’s day. Some conversations leave you smiling long after the call ends—something we could all use, especially in winter. For those facing the season alone, there are amazing people ready to remind you that you’re not alone,” she said.
The charity’s support services match volunteers with individuals across the UK for friendly chats, reducing isolation and boosting mental health. Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said: “The feedback that conversations with volunteers are helping people to visit their GP less is testament to the value of connection.”
Yakult Marketing Manager Reshma Patel added: “Our research with Royal Voluntary Service shows that one in four adults over 75 feel they’d benefit from practical and emotional support over winter. We are committed to helping people access the Stay Safe, Warm and Well guide to support their overall well-being.”
Health
Over 1500 patients in Wales blocked from leaving hospital
THE First Minister Eluned Morgan has been pressured on her government’s failure to clear hospital beds in Wales, leading to delays for people seeking urgent medical care.
According to a report from BBC Wales, there are currently 1,600 patients across Wales waiting to be discharged from hospital compared to England where there are currently 12,000.
However, when comparing population sizes, it’s revealed that Wales is performing worse than its closest neighbour, with 0.05% of the population of Wales stuck in hospital beds compared to 0.02% in England.
The Welsh Labour government have been criticised for their failure to clear out backlogs in the system,
The Liberal Democrats have now called on the Welsh Government to provide urgent social care funding to local authorities to help alleviate pressures on the NHS in Wales.
Speaking in the Siambr on Tuesday, The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS described how over twenty years of Welsh Labour government in Wales had let to a “desperate situation in our NHS, with services nearing breaking point.
Welsh Labours refusal to change their approach and fix a system clogged up by mismanagement is directly responsible for the current situation faced by thousands of patients.
Delays in discharging patients from hospitals are placing huge pressures on both staff and those awaiting care, but there is a way out of this mess and the answer lies in social care.
I have been told by numerous professionals working in healthcare that the first step towards fixing our NHS is made by providing local authorities with the funding to fix social care services within their respected areas.
By dedicating adequate investment into our social care services, we can make life easier for patients discharged from hospital while also lifting the strain on health services throughout Wales.”
Education
Concern over ‘highest-ever’ school bullying rates
RATES of bullying in Welsh schools have reached record levels, with more than one in three children and young people reporting being bullied, the Senedd heard.
Gareth Davies raised concerns about a 6% increase in bullying between 2021 and 2023, according to a survey of more than 130,000 pupils in 200 secondary schools.
The Conservatives’ shadow mental health minister told the Senedd: “These results are higher than ever previously reported in the survey, which is deeply troubling.”
He said the latest survey showed regression on “just about every metric of pupil wellbeing”, including growing social isolation and a rise in behavioural issues.
Mr Davies, who worked in the NHS in north Wales for more than a decade, pointed to a 2021 legal duty to have regard to the mental health of children and young people.
He said: “The mental health of pupils has declined and reports of bullying in schools have only increased, so the Welsh Government have failed in that duty, unfortunately.”
Plaid Cymru’s Cefin Campbell called for an update to 2019 anti-bullying guidance for school governing bodies following a commitment from the Welsh Government eight months ago.
The shadow education secretary focused on the impact of poverty, warning the high cost of school uniforms can cause stress and lead to bullying.
Mr Campbell, a former lecturer, expressed concerns about penalties, such as detention, for pupils over non-compliance with uniform policies.
Raising a report on “horrific” experiences of racism in Welsh schools, he said one pupil was told a classmate did not want to sit next to them due to the colour of their skin.
“That’s entirely unacceptable in our schools,” said Mr Campbell.
Labour’s Carolyn Thomas warned children’s mental health is at an all-time low, pointing to smartphones and social media as major contributing factors.
She said: “They can be used to bully, manipulate and control, sending young people into an isolated world of despair, not thinking they can get out of it or go to somebody for help.”
The North Wales politician highlighted a petition calling for a ban on phones in schools.
Rhys ab Owen, an independent who represents South Wales Central, stressed that bullying can impact people for decades to come after school.
“But it’s an issue that doesn’t affect learners equally,” he said. “In Cardiff, around a third of learners come from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
“And I was staggered to read a survey from 2020, which said that 61.5% of learners had expressed stereotypes over skin colour, religion and nationality.”
In a statement on November 12 to mark anti-bullying week, Lynne Neagle accepted that bullying continues to be an issue in Welsh schools.
Pledging to prioritise the problem, Wales’ education secretary said new statutory anti-bullying guidance will be published for consultation after Christmas.
Ms Neagle pointed to concerning trends, including 42% of girls scoring high or very high in a questionnaire on psychological problems compared with 27% of boys.
She told the Senedd: “I wouldn’t want to be a teenager growing up today.”
Ms Neagle stated the Welsh Government provided more than £800,000 this year for one of the biggest surveys of children and young people in the UK.
She said: “The link between bullying and mental health is well known. At its most extreme, young people have taken their own lives as a result of being bullied. This is a tragedy for the young life lost, for their family and friends and for whole communities.”
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