Concerns over access to hearing services in Wales

Published

5 months ago

February 13, 2024

CONCERNS have been raised about access to hearing services, with statistics showing the number of people on waiting lists for a hearing aid has ballooned by 150% in three years.

Janet Finch-Saunders told the Senedd that 527,100 adults – 17% of Wales’ population – have a degree of hearing loss that would benefit from treatment such as hearing aids.

She said that 4,000 people were waiting for a hearing aid appointment three years ago but by September 2023 that number had reached nearly 10,000.

Highlighting that Wales has the highest proportion of over-65s of any UK nation, she told the chamber it is imperative to develop the best hearing services possible.

She explained that incidence increases by about 1% per year of age, so 80% of 80-year-olds and 90% of 90-year-olds will have hearing loss.

The Aberconwy MS raised concerns about a “postcode lottery” in terms of waiting times.

She said only one patient waited longer than 14 weeks in Swansea, 583 in Hywel Dda and a staggering 1,674 in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.

Ms Finch-Saunders pointed out there is also an inconsistent spread of audiologists employed by health boards with five in Powys and 65 in Betsi Cadwaladr.

Calling for greater collaboration with independent providers such as Boots and Specsavers, she argued it would help health boards add capacity and improve access.

She said the model, which is in use in England and Ireland, has provided services at a third of the per-patient cost compared to hospital services.

Ms Finch-Saunders highlighted that the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) found that 26% of families were dissatisfied with waiting times for paediatric audiology.

She told MSs: “Health needs to work with education, which has seen a 17% reduction in teachers of the deaf in Wales since 2011.”

Ms Finch-Saunders added that NDCS has found that some children are being denied individual development plans under Wales’ new additional learning needs system.

She warned: “Hearing loss cuts people off from each other. This can increase the risk of social isolation, cognitive decline and other mental issues.

“And I’m given to understand that it can actually bring on early dementia and Alzheimer’s.

“Too often, deaf people who simply cannot hear quite often feel that they are referred to as ‘daft’ people – and that’s the stigma that we’ve got to get rid of.”

Mark Isherwood, who lost his hearing as a younger person, urged ministers to recognise that demand for audiology services is only going to increase.

He echoed calls for the NHS to work with community audiology service providers.

Natasha Asghar, a fellow Conservative, who represents South Wales East, highlighted a Senedd event on adult age-related hearing loss that she sponsored on Tuesday.

Joel James, who spoke about his own experiences of hearing loss at the event, said hearing impairment is linked to cognitive decline but when aids are fitted, it ceases immediately.

He said: “If we look at child development, we know of social isolation, the impact in terms of speech and language, and then also the social skills that can be impaired.

“And then if we look at when we become adults, in terms of the working environment, there are 4.4 million in the entire UK that have hearing difficulties.

“Many of them feel that they’re being discriminated against in the working environment.”

Russell George, the Conservatives’ shadow health minister, emphasised the need for early intervention and diagnosis, saying it can bring a saving down the line.

Responding to the short debate on February 7, Eluned Morgan recognised that hearing loss can be devastating at any age and can leave people feeling isolated.

The health minister said audiology services are delivered differently from the rest of the UK, arguing there is a stronger emphasis on primary and community care than elsewhere.

Baroness Morgan said she does not have any principled objection to exploring private sector options but the Welsh Government will prioritise public sector provision.

“If they can’t do it, then, obviously, let’s look at alternatives,” she told the chamber.

“But I would like to give this a fair wind, and I guess the health boards are on notice that they’ve got to deliver on what we’re asking them to deliver.”

She added: “Let’s stick to the plan, and, if they don’t deliver, then there’ll be ructions.”

Public reminded to stay away from Ward’s Yard and Criterion Quay

Published

13 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PORT of Milford Haven is reminding members of the public to stay away from Ward’s Yard in Milford Haven and Criterion Quay (sometimes known as the offshore jetty) in Pembroke Dock due to concerns over public safety. 

Despite significant security measures, people continue to access the sites illegally, ignoring and sometimes damaging the onsite signage and fences.

Niall Yeomans, Head of Health, Safety and Security at the Port of Milford Haven said: “Safety is our key priority. Members of the public are continuously putting themselves and members of our team at risk of serious harm by trespassing in these areas.”

“Both Ward’s Yard and Criterion Quay are unsafe for public access. They are isolated areas next to deep water and are susceptible to slips, trips and falls.”

Both sites are owned by the Port of Milford Haven and are private property. Anyone found onsite without consent is trespassing, and any criminal damage could result in prosecution.  

Anyone who sees any suspicious activity at Ward’s Yard or Criterion Quay is asked to contact Dyfed Powys Police on 101 urgently.

Crime

‘Sophisticated’ organised crime gang trafficked cocaine and cannabis to Aberystwyth

Published

16 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

FIVE people have been found guilty or admitted to conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis as Dyfed-Powys Police continues its efforts to dismantle organised crime gangs.

Officers seized cocaine with a street value of more than £400,000 from gang members, who continually changed tactics to avoid arrest.

Six defendants have appeared in court in the latest phase of Dyfed-Powys Police’s Operation Burleigh, which sought to disrupt the trafficking and onward supply of class A and B drugs into Aberystwyth, with all but one admitting their charges or being found guilty by a jury.

This brings the total number of people awaiting sentence under the operation to 15.

The court heard that officers from Dyfed-Powys Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Team and Ceredigion Priority Policing Team led the investigation into the OCG, which was described as ‘sophisticated, well-organised and evolving’.

Detective Sergeant Steven Jones said: “This conspiracy operated on a County Lines model, where controlled drugs are trafficked into a smaller rural town from a larger city, and the operation is controlled by one or more ‘drugs lines’.

“In this case there were a total of four lines controlling the supply of cocaine and cannabis within Aberystwyth.

“The conspirators frequently evolved their actions to frustrate the authorities and evade capture.”

The OCG embedded members were mainly asylum seekers brought to Aberystwyth by Toana Ahmad and another man who remains outstanding, with the sole purpose of dealing drugs. The drug lines were initially based in Swansea, and later in areas of Birmingham.

Three properties – on Terrace Road, Alexander Road and Parc Graig Glas – were identified early in the investigation as being used to house the OCG members embedded in Aberystwyth. Substantial amounts of cash, controlled drugs and weapons were recovered from these properties, and from the people found inside.

When arrests were made, the gang changed its tactics. Drugs began to be supplied from vehicles, and OCG members stayed in guest houses to avoid detection.

DS Jones added: “Trusted couriers were employed to transport drugs to Aberystwyth and cash back to Birmingham or Swansea. A number of vehicles, including taxis, were used as the gang attempted to avoid detection along the route, while trains were also taken when courier cars were stopped by officers.”

In June 2023, two vehicles travelling from the West Midlands towards Aberystwyth were stopped by police on consecutive days. A black sock was uncovered in the engine of the first car, which was found to contain 82g of high purity cocaine divided into 169 grip seal plastic bags.

Davinder Singh, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs, was the driver of the second vehicle, which was a taxi. A blue plastic bag was seen falling out of his shorts, which contained over 81g of high purity cocaine divided into 167 grip seal bags.

DS Jones said: “On the basis that the amounts of cocaine transported over the 37 couriers over the course of the conspiracy period were similar, over 3kg of cocaine would have been conveyed to Aberystwyth from Birmingham.

“This equates to class A drugs with a potential street value of over £308,950. In addition to this, class A drugs were seized from individuals and addresses with a potential street value of £103,445, along with cash totalling £11,687.

“A number of teams and departments across Dyfed-Powys Police, from analysts, CCTV operators and priority policing teams, to CAB, the Technical Support Unit, Economic Crime Team and Force Intelligence Bureau all assisted in dismantling the OCG from top to bottom.

“Their dedication and relentless efforts have assisted in making Aberystwyth a safer place to live without the threat and harm of drugs being made easily available on the street.”

After a seven-week trial at Swansea Crown Court earlier this year, the following three defendants were found guilty for their parts in the conspiracy:

Toana Ahmad, aged 33, of Lee Gardens in Smethwich, West Midlands
Barzan Sarhan, aged 31, of no fixed address
Ahmed Piro, aged 26, of no fixed address

The jury failed to reach a verdict on two defendants during the earlier trial. They have been subject to a retrial starting on July 1, with the following outcomes:

Hawre Ahmed, aged 35, of Pinderfields Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was found guilty by the jury of conspiracy to supply Class A and B controlled drugs.
Diar Yousef Zeabari, aged 35, of Flat 5, 41 Bryn Road, Swansea, was found not guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A and B controlled drugs.

Karwan Karim, aged 39 of 125 Griffith John Street, Swansea, also stood trial, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B controlled drugs on day three.

In addition to the OCG members found guilty during the most recent trials, the following have previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs under Operation Burleigh:

Davinder Singh, aged 36, of Huntingdon Road, West Bromwich
Daban Khalil, aged 23, of Streetly Road, Birmingham
Kastro Omar, aged 30, of Junction Road, Northampton
Karwan Jabari, aged 26, of Weedon Close, Northampton
Walid Younis Abdal, aged 34, of St Anne’s Road, Doncaster
Saman Aziz, aged 41, of Kirk Road, Merseyside
Adel Mustafa, aged 39, of Hubert Road, Newport
Charlotte Roberts, aged 21, of Sutton Hill, Telford

The following have previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs:

Akasha Smith, aged 24, of Third Avenue, Aberystwyth
Luqman Jarjis, aged 21, of Wake Green Road, Birmingham

News

Community asked for views on allocation of new St Davids homes

Published

16 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST phase of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Glasfryn housing development in St Davids is progressing well with the second phase also underway.

The development being built by GRD Homes Ltd, began in November 2023, with a first phase completion date of Winter 2024 looking hopeful, ahead of the scheduled plans.

The first phase consists of seven properties, including a mixture of one and two bedroom bungalows

As completion draws closer the properties will be advertised via Pembrokeshire Choice Homes.

Ahead of this, the Council’s housing team will be holding community engagement on the 13th August 2024 at the Ty’r Pererin Centres, Quickwell Hill, St Davids, SA62 6PD, 5pm-7pm.

This will be a chance for officers to liaise with the local community about the allocation process for these properties.

Glasfryn’s second phase is well underway, with the initial groundwork already completed. This phase includes a further 11 two bedroom bungalows, with a completion date in late 2025.

These bungalows will meet the latest Welsh Government’s Development Quality Requirement, and will be energy efficient, built to EPC A specification and include solar panels to help tenants with running costs.

The Glasfryn development is funded in partnership with Welsh Government.

Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman said: “We are really keen to work with the community on a local lettings policy for these new properties, as we have done for our developments in other parts of the County.”

If you have any queries please email the Customer Liaison Team on [email protected], phone them on 01437 764551, or visit Housing’s Facebook page.