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Health

Welsh NHS crisis deepens

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WALES’s Health Minister Eluned Morgan has warned that the health and social care system in Wales is currently under ‘extraordinary pressure’.

Significant challenges caused by COVID outbreaks within hospitals limiting available bed capacity, high levels of COVID in the community, staff sickness absence and blockages in patient flow through hospitals leading to difficulties discharging patients have put the sector under strain.

These issues have been exacerbated by a recent increase in levels of demand.

People in Wales are being urged to ‘help us, help you’ by accessing the NHS 111 Wales website and its symptom checkers, helping to ensure they access the right care in the right place the first time.

This will help reduce avoidable delays to care and support more acutely ill people to be treated most appropriately.

It comes after the Aneurin Bevan University health board declared a business continuity incident yesterday, also known as a Black alert, in light of unprecedented pressures at its Grange University Hospital and other sites.

This is the highest level of escalation available and indicates the severe pressure being experienced by our health and care services.

Previous health minister Vaughan Gething rushed through the Grange’s opening before last May’s election despite understaffing and without all facilities for its operation being ready.

Hospital sites across Wales are under extraordinary pressure, which has affected the timely delivery of care.

This has resulted, at times, in lengthy ambulance patient handover delays, limits on ambulance capacity, increased waits for admission from emergency departments to a hospital bed and longer waits for discharge home once treatment has been completed.

Measures have already been taken across all health board areas to relieve pressure to ensure patients can continue to receive the care and treatment they need in a safe and timely manner.

To manage the situation in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area, where The Grange University Hospital is based, all non-essential activities have been cancelled, with clinical and non-clinical senior colleagues re-prioritising their workload accordingly to manage the position across the Gwent region.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “The health and social care system in Wales is currently under extraordinary pressure, and we would strongly urge anyone seeking care to make sure they access the right care in the right place, whether that’s through ‘help us, help you’, access to the NHS Wales 111 website or urgent and emergency care.

“We have been open about the challenges that NHS Wales and 999 and Emergency Departments are under. This is not a unique situation in Wales; health services across the UK face similar challenges.

“Our priority is to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of healthcare services. Anyone with a serious or urgent need for hospital treatment and those who have ‘a life-threatening illness or serious injury’ should still attend the emergency department.

“Those who have a less urgent need or could access the treatment they need at an alternative setting can help reduce pressure by choosing the right service.
“The public can also help by supporting the timely discharge of their family members when they are ready to leave hospital. 

“If you have a relative or loved one in hospital who is well enough to go home but is waiting to be discharged with home care and community health support, you MAY be able to help them to get home more quickly if you and your family are in a position to support them at home.”

THE LOCAL PICTURE

Emergency and unplanned care services in community and hospital settings are under unprecedented pressure across the Hywel Dda UHB area on Wednesday, March 30.

The Board’s Director of Operations, Andrew Carruthers, said: “We are dealing with a combination of high numbers of attendances, particularly in our Emergency Departments, and challenges in health professional staffing due to COVID-19. 

“Our GP practices and hospitals are busy, and we still need to follow specific requirements for the safe treatment of those patients with COVID-19 and those without.

“We are working with our local authorities as there are difficulties in discharging some patients due to similar staffing challenges the social care sector faces. This means we have very few beds to accommodate patients who need admission.

“Our teams are helping patients by their clinical priority, but this does mean that in some cases, waits in our Emergency Departments are hours long and far more than what we would strive to deliver.

“If you need medical help, please think carefully about the services you choose.” 

If you are unwell and unsure what to do, you can visit the online symptom checker or call NHS 111 if you are unsure what help you need.  

Only attend an Emergency Department if you have a life-threatening illness or serious injury, such as: 

• Severe breathing difficulties 
• Severe pain or bleeding 
• Chest pain or a suspected stroke 
• Serious trauma injuries (e.g. from a car crash) 

If you have a less serious injury, please visit a Minor Injury Unit. They can treat adults and children over 12-months of age with injuries such as 

• Minor wounds 
• Minor burns or scalds 
• Insect bites 
• Minor limb, head, or face injuries
• Foreign bodies in the nose or ear

Minor injury or walk-in services to serve Pembrokeshire are located at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre, Tenby Hospital, and main acute hospitals.

Many community pharmacies can also provide walk-in, common ailment or triage and treat services without an appointment.

However, due to Covid infection, several community pharmacies in Pembrokeshire are already closed to the public, leaving patients with Hobson’s Choice of where to go.

Suppose you have an inpatient relative waiting for a formal care package. You may be able to offer support and care on a short term, temporary arrangement, or you might want to consider whether your loved one could be supported in a temporary residential or nursing care setting. 

If you feel that this is an option you could consider, please speak to the ward manager or your social worker to explore further and see what support is available.

Health

Phone calls to reduce GP visits for 42% of patients this winter

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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.”

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Health

Over 1500 patients in Wales blocked from leaving hospital

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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.”

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Education

Concern over ‘highest-ever’ school bullying rates

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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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