Health
Campaign launched to save stroke recovery services in Hywel Dda area
THE STROKE ASSOCIATION is calling for support to sign petition as stroke recovery services are under threat in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire
People who have a stroke in the Hywel Dda health board area are at risk of being abandoned, according to the leading stroke charity.
The Stroke Association is deeply concerned that, as of 2023-24, the funding for the Life After Stroke service in Hywel Dda UHB is unlikely to provide a quality and equitable service for those most vulnerable stroke survivors in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
The Stroke Association’s Life After Stroke Service has been supporting stroke survivors in the Hywel Dda Health Board area for more than a decade. The service provides a life-line for people after they leave hospital; helping stroke survivors and their loved ones set their own goals for recovery, manage their condition and become more independent.
In 2022 alone, the Stroke Association provided specialised person-centred support to more than 250 new stroke survivors and their carers in the Hywel Dda health board area; reducing hospital readmissions, supporting mental health needs and most importantly, supporting stroke survivor independence.
Katie Chappelle, Associate Director Wales, Stroke Association said “Hywel Dda University Health Board has been de-prioritising stroke services for years. There has been no inflation increase in our funding for over six years, resulting in a real-terms cut for stroke support services. Part of the service has historically been provided by Carmarthenshire Local Authority, but they have now withdrawn this money, due to changes in how they pay for community-based prevention services.
With this support coming to an end, we want to work closely with Hywel Dda UHB to design an effective and quality service which continues to support stroke survivors and their loved ones to rebuild life after stroke. We urge the Health Board to reconsider their upcoming tender, and include the additional adequate funding needed to deliver an equal stroke recovery service across all three areas for stroke survivors in the years ahead.
“Charities are integral to the healthy functioning of our society and should be accepted as a partner in the health and social care system, particularly at times of strain, rather than seen as a “nice to have”. This means supporting charities with long-term funding and integrating them into decision making. Charities are often best placed to engage with a wide range of people, particularly those who are seldom heard. At the Stroke Association we ensure that stroke survivors have a voice in the decisions that affect them. If there is a failure to recognise, respect and realise the true value of the work that charities do, there is a risk of losing essential provision and the person-centred approach that charities bring to our society.”
There are almost 10,000 stroke survivors living in the Hywel Dda Health Board area. Without this essential service, stroke survivors risk feeling abandoned after they leave hospital, placing further pressure on health and social services, at a time of great strain. 47% of stroke survivors within the health board are registered with GP surgeries that are in the Local Authority area of Carmarthenshire. The other 20% live in Ceredigion and 33% in Pembrokeshire highlighting a need for a service in all three areas. (Data is from GP register 2019-2020)
Dave Jones, from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire had a stroke in 2017 at 36 years old. He was young, fit and healthy and he never expected it. “When I came out of hospital, I had double vision, my right arm and right leg didn’t work. I couldn’t speak properly. I got to the point of I didn’t want to be here. I actually got to the steps of ending it all. The support I have received from the Stroke Association has been invaluable.”
The dad of two continued, “My co-ordinator has been a huge help to me. She is always there whenever I need her. I would never have got to where I have got without her.”
Dave is part of a young men’s peer group based in Carmarthen “we help each other through it and meet up and talk about our experience, it is a massive help to me. Without the opportunity and help to set up this group by the Stroke Association who knows where we would all be. It has been a real saviour to many of us.”
As Dave continues to rebuild his life he has recently become a Stroke Association support co-ordinator, “It is a fantastic organisation that has helped me so much and I want to give back and help others as I know first-hand how important the Life After Stroke service is for stroke survivors.”
Adam Price MS for Carmarthen East & Dinefwr said that“having met with the Stroke Association recently, I am fully aware of the excellent service they provide to stroke survivors across my constituency. Despite a shrinking budget and significant pressures, the Life After Stroke service has continued to provide vital support to patients across the Hywel Dda area.
“It is vital that stroke recovery services do not get left behind, and we must do whatever we can to save our stroke recovery service. I would urge members of the public to sign this petition to demonstrate just how much support there is for the Life After Stroke service in Carmarthenshire.”
When stroke strikes, part of your brain shuts down. And so does a part of you. Recovery is tough, but with the right specialist support and a ton of courage and determination, the brain can adapt. The Stroke Association is here to support people to rebuild their lives after stroke.
The Stroke Association has delivered a stroke recovery service across all three areas of Hywel Dda health board for more than a decade. We support stroke survivors, their families, and carers to rebuild their lives after stroke.
To help save our stroke recovery service in Hywel Dda please sign our petition to show your support here
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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