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Health

Health Minister praises partnership working at South Pembrokeshire Hospital 

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THE MINISTER or Health and Social Services Eluned Morgan and Deputy Minister for Social Care Julie Morgan have visited South Pembrokeshire Hospital in Pembroke Dock to learn more about how partnership working helps patients in Pembrokeshire receive the best care.

The visit last week (Wednesday, 31 May) came ahead of today’s announcement that Welsh Government will invest up to £30m to deliver more care at home or in the community and reduce time people spend in hospitals.

The Health Minister and Deputy Minister for Social Care have set out how they will work with local government, NHS and other partners to strengthen local care services in order to help alleviate the kind of pressure on the health and care system seen this winter.

To see this work in action, Eluned Morgan and Julie Morgan, visited the Co-ordination Centre at South Pembrokeshire Hospital to hear more about the ‘Further Faster’ initiative where the Hywel Dda University Health Board, Pembrokeshire Council and third sector work together to co-ordinate and allocate the appropriate care to people across the county.

Operating seven days week, 8am to 6pm and staffed by a team of experienced clinicians and coordinators, the Coordination Centre provides a single place for the co-ordination and triage of referrals and enquiries regarding routine and planned, urgent and intermediate care needs for the people of Pembrokeshire.

Eluned Morgan said she was impressed by the ‘Further Faster’ initiative. She said: “I think this is an example of exactly what we’re trying to achieve across Wales but we’re trying to see this supercharged so we’re seeing local authorities work with the health board to make sure that we can discharge people from the hospital much quicker.

“But we also have a real recognition that there’s a lot of work we need to do in relation to prevention. And everybody working together here is absolutely key and I think, in relation to care, that is crucial as well.”

Julie Morgan agreed and praised the work at the Co-ordination Centre.

She said: ““I think we’ve seen a really good example of where everybody works together in the same room in the Co-ordination Centre. It was so striking to see everybody there together and the call handlers can refer people on to specialists sitting in the same room as them. The key issue really is to try and prevent hospital admissions and to do all we possibly can to keep people in the community and I think this is a great example.”

The Minister and Deputy Minister also met staff and patients at Martello House – a facility for patients who are receiving care after coming out of hospital and re-ablement care to prevent them returning to hospital and to be able to live independently at home.

Patient Paul McGrath from Pembroke Dock had an opportunity to speak to the Ministers about his experience at Martello house.

Mr McGrath underwent heart surgery earlier this year and after months of treatment and recovery in hospital, Mr McGrath was transferred to Martello House. He has been there for two weeks and is hoping to go back home in a week or so.

He said: “Because of the way Martello House works, it’s made me feel much more comfortable in doing things. I’ve been able to get up and about and get moving which has helped tremendously. Certainly, being here and what I’ve been doing, just moving around and walking, doing stuff for myself has helped my mobility and my confidence.

“They encourage the walking and maintaining the physiotherapy regime that I’ve been given. Making cups of tea, cups of coffee… sorting out breakfast for yourself, that sort of thing. Just getting on with day-to-day stuff.”

Mr McGrath said being at Martello house had speeded up his recovery process.

“When I first came here, I still couldn’t see myself being at home – I was worried about that. But being here made me realise that I’m supposed to be at home. I can be at home, I can carry on with whatever I’m doing here. Everything I do here, I can do at home.”

Jill Paterson, Director of Primary Care, Community and Long-Term Care for Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “This is a priority for us and our partner organisations. By working together to coordinate and deliver our services we can support individuals to remain at home or in their community with the right level of care and support so that they spend less time in hospital.”

Cllr Tessa Hodgson, Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding, said: “We have a history of excellent partnership working in Pembrokeshire, with health, third sector and the authority’s social care delivering projects and services which supports our communities. It’s important to focus on what will benefit patients – and improve outcomes for the people who live in Pembrokeshire who need these vital health and care services. This approach will improve the co-ordination and efficiency to ensure services are fit-for-purpose and improve the lives of those who need support the most.”

According to Eluned Morgan, the new £30m investment will help to deliver thousands of extra hours of reablement services across Wales – providing as a safe alternative to hospital admission and to keep people at home, or so people can recover at home more quickly after a stay in hospital.

The money will also be spent on:

Recruiting more community workers to advise people on how they can access the right support and services to help them recover and lead independent lives;
Ensuring every local authority has a Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Responder Service by winter 2024. Currently only 10 local authorities have this facility. Using the latest monitoring technology this service will ensure people can get the help they need as quickly as possible;
Moving towards 24/7 Community nursing by increasing the availability of community nurses across Wales for an extra 10 hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays;
Strengthening community specialist palliative care – by making specialist nurses available overnight;
Providing practical support for local services to collaborate to put in place an individual care plan for those people identified as most at risk for urgent care. This will help to reduce hospital admissions.
ENDS

Cathryn Ings

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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