Community

Bowel cancer screening age is being lowered to 55 in Wales

Published

2 years ago

October 4, 2022

BOWEL cancer screening will be made available to more people in Wales as home testing is expanded to include 55-57 year olds.

The expansion will mean 172,000 more people in Wales will start to receive easy to use kits that test for the early stages of bowel cancer. The move is part of a phased approach to lowering the screening age to 50 by October 2024.

People aged 55, 56 and 57 will start to be invited for screening from Wednesday 5th October and will receive their home testing kits in the post. The programme will be rolled out to the newly eligible age group gradually over the next 12 months.

Part of a £16 million investment package by the Welsh Government, the funding has supported the introduction the new, easier to use, FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test) at home testing kit.

The new home testing kits have helped improve screening uptake to 65% and have improved sensitivity to better detect those at risk of bowel cancer.

More than 2,500 people were diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2019. Screening plays an important role in detecting cancer earlier and helps to improve cancer outcomes in Wales.

The lowering of the screening age is based on the recommendation by the UK National Screening Committee.

Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan said: “It is great to see the next phase of our plan to widen access to bowel cancer screening come into effect.

“We have previously introduced the more user-friendly test and started inviting those aged 58-59. This next phase of the programme widens access to those aged 55-57.

“This move will help us to identity more bowel cancer cases early and support improvement in survival rates.

“I’m also pleased to see that more people are taking part in the programme and that the uptake rate now meets the expected standard.

“In future, we plan to continue to optimise the programme by lowering the age range to 50 and increasing the sensitivity of the test until we come into line with UK recommendations.”

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive at Bowel Cancer UK says:

“This is a step in the right direction towards screening from 50 in Wales, which we’ve long campaigned for. Screening is one of the best ways to diagnose bowel cancer early, or in some cases prevent it from developing in the first place, and so inviting more people to take part is welcomed.

“Offering the home test to more people is just one of the ways to improve bowel screening, however, the biggest barrier to improving early diagnosis, and offering a world-class screening programme, is the long-standing workforce shortage in endoscopy and pathology services. We now urgently need to address this through a comprehensive workforce plan that can support the bowel cancer screening programme in Wales to achieve its full potential.”

Dr Sharon Hillier, Director of the Screening Division at Public Health Wales, said:

“I’m delighted that we are expanding the bowel cancer screening programme to include those aged 55, 56 and 57 in Wales.

“Bowel screening aims to find cancer at an early stage when treatment is likely to be more effective. Early detection is so important as at least 9 out of 10 people will survive bowel cancer if it’s found and treated early. Bowel screening also detects and removes pre-cancerous polyps that if left in the bowel could develop into cancer.

“The invitation and test kit will be arriving via post to those who are eligible over the next 12 months. The test kit is easy to complete and to send to our laboratory for analysis.

“I would urge everyone who receives an invitation to take up their offer as it could save their life.”

Community

Landfill odour sparks calls for inquiry and legal action

Published

11 mins ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS near Withyhedge landfill in Haverfordwest are demanding a public inquiry and considering legal action after foul odours returned just weeks after the site reopened on 6 January.

The landfill, closed last May to address odour issues, was declared fit to reopen by operator RML, which claimed its improvements would protect nearby communities. However, Colin Barnett, of campaign group Stop the Stink, said: “People in Crundale, Haverfordwest, and Spittal are being subjected to horrendous smells again.”

Describing the site as a “stink bomb on steroids,” Barnett supported Conservative MS Paul Davies’ calls for a public inquiry. “We’ve been flanneled by NRW, public health, and Pembrokeshire council. It’s disgraceful,” he said, adding that delays in resolving the issue had left litigation as the only option.

RML, part of Dauson Environmental Group, is owned by businessman David Neal, who has previous convictions for environmental crimes in 2013 and 2017. Last year, another of Neal’s companies pleaded guilty to environmental offences.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported receiving 34 complaints since 6 January, with a rise in recent days coinciding with the end of a slurry-spreading ban. However, NRW stated no odours attributable to the landfill were detected and plans to inspect the site with Pembrokeshire council on 29 January.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I’ll keep a very close eye on this, and if concerns persist, we’ll discuss further steps with NRW.”

RML and the Welsh Government declined to comment.

Community

Public transport users urged to ‘check before travelling’ due to storm

Published

46 mins ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TRANSPORT FOR WALES and Network Rail are urging all customers to check before they travel on Friday morning and into the weekend with weather warnings in place across the country.

With Storm Eowyn set to hit Wales and winds reaching 90mph on Friday morning, customers should expect disruptions and are strongly urged to check before they travel.

There will be alterations to rail services, replacement road transport on certain routes and blanket speed restrictions at some locations, meaning journeys could take longer than usual.

Stand by buses are being planned at key locations around the network in preparation for travel disruption.

Across Wales and the Borders, Network Rail have positioned response teams to address any storm related problems to keep disruption to a minimum.

TfW Operations Director Sarah Higgins said: “It’s so important for our customers to plan ahead when looking to travel this Friday.

“While we’ve made a number of changes to our services based on detailed forecasts, storms can still be unpredictable.

“We’ve seen the impact storms can have, with damage to trains and infrastructure sometimes taking weeks or months to repair, so our cross-industry approach will hopefully limit that and keep our colleagues and customers safe. We apologise to customers for any disruption to their journeys as a result.”

Network Rail Wales & Borders Operations Director Rachel Heath added: “Our priority is always keeping safe everyone who travels and works on the railway.

“Unfortunately, there will be some delays and cancellations on Friday, as trains will not run on some lines and there will speed restrictions on other parts of the route.

“We are working closely with our train operator colleagues to ensure we can safely reopen affected lines as quickly as possible and urge passengers to check before they travel.”

Rail service changes:

No services to run on the Conwy Valley Line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
No services to run on the Heart of Wales line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
Speed restrictions at various locations around the network, meaning some journeys will take longer than usual. These include:

  50mph speed restrictions imposed from 0200 to 1500 Friday on the North Wales Coast – Bodorgan to Llandudno Junction.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Carmarthen to Kidwelly.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Neath and Swansea.
  50mph restrictions from 0100 – 0800 between Newport and Llanwern.

Customers who have connecting tickets for the following operators who have suspended services due to the adverse weather conditions, we’ll honour tickets dated 24 January on either Thursday 23 January or up to and including Tuesday 28 January.

       London Northeastern Railway
       LUMO
       TransPennine Express
       Northern
       Grand Central
       Avanti

Community

Mid and West Wales Fire Service launches recruitment drive

Published

2 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE MID AND WEST WALES FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE has announced it is halfway through its recruitment window for Wholetime Firefighters. The service is actively seeking individuals from diverse backgrounds to join their ranks and contribute to the safety and well-being of communities across Mid and West Wales.

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM emphasised the evolving nature of the firefighter’s role, stating, “The role of a Wholetime Firefighter goes far beyond tackling fires, road traffic collisions and water rescues. Modern-day firefighters play a crucial part in educating the public and working to prevent risks to life and the environment.”

The MAWWFRS is keen to attract applicants with a wide range of skills and experiences, recognising the diverse challenges faced by today’s fire service. “We encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to apply, emphasising the diverse skill set needed for this challenging yet rewarding career,” added Thomas.

This recruitment initiative is seen as a vital step in ensuring the service has the necessary personnel to respond effectively to emergencies and maintain safety standards across the region. The MAWWFRS covers a vast area, encompassing nearly two-thirds of Wales, making it the third largest Fire and Rescue Service in the United Kingdom.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to visit the MAWWFRS website for detailed information on fitness requirements, the application process, and how to apply. The online registration window closes at 12pm on Monday, 27th January 2025.

As the service continues its mission to create safer communities, this recruitment drive offers an opportunity for individuals to become part of a team that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

Citations:
[1] http://eastwoodacademy.co.uk/docs/How%20to%20write%20a%20newspaper%20article.pdf
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid_and_West_Wales_Fire_and_Rescue_Service
[3] https://midwestwalesfire.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s5689/HR%20People%20and%20Well-Being%20Update%20Report.pdf
[4] https://nickdale.me/2023/05/31/how-to-write-a-newspaper-article/
[5] https://www.gov.wales/find-your-local-fire-and-rescue-service
[6] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk/eng/join-us/current-vacancies/
[7] https://www.superprof.co.uk/resources/questions/english/broadsheet-articles.html
[8] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk
[9] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk/eng/join-us/
[10] https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/mid_and_west_wales_fire_and_rescue_service