Health

Calls to declare health emergency in Wales narrowly rejected

Published

10 months ago

February 14, 2024

THE WELSH PARLIAMENT narrowly rejected calls to declare a health emergency due to the “existential threat” facing the NHS.

With the vote deadlocked at 26-26, Elin Jones – the Senedd’s speaker or Llywydd – used her casting vote against the Plaid Cymru motion in line with convention.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, the shadow health minister, urged the Welsh Government to recognise an unfolding emergency and bring the NHS “back from the brink”.

The Plaid Cymru MS warned that without a drastic course correction, the health service faces a highly uncertain future.

He said: “We have brought forward this debate today with one clear purpose: to try to convince the government we need to recognise the existential threat facing the NHS, which is so valuable to us, by declaring a health emergency in Wales.”

Mr Gwynfor, who represents Dwyfor Meirionnydd, pointed out that waiting lists have hit record highs in July, August, September and October.

‘Limbo’

He told the chamber that there are 582,000 people waiting for treatment – almost a fifth of Wales’ population, who are “stuck in this ever-expanding limbo zone”.

Turning to cancer services, Mr Gwynfor said only around 54% of patients started treatment within the recommended 62 days against a target of 75% which has never been met.

He added that ambulances spent a combined total of 22,000 hours parked outside hospitals waiting to drop off patients in December alone.

Mr Gwynfor quoted Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health minister at Westminster, as saying: “You would have to be living on Mars not to see the NHS is in an emergency.”

He urged Welsh Labour to “come back to earth and open their eyes to what is happening here on their watch”.

Pointing out that the Senedd was the first parliament in the world to declare a climate emergency, he urged Welsh ministers to do the same with health.

‘Collapse’

Russell George, the Conservatives’ shadow minister, raised concerns about a GP crisis, saying the number of patients per GP has risen by a third in less than a decade.

Mr George accused the Welsh Government of failing to sufficiently recruit, train and retain NHS staff more broadly than GPs.

He moved the Conservatives’ amendments, which urged the Welsh Government to develop a workforce plan and set a target to eliminate two-year waits by September.

The Montgomeryshire MS said: “The staffing crisis is so acute that we do need to act now to prevent the collapse of our NHS.

“Those aren’t my words, those are the words straight from the British Medical Association.”

Mr George told MSs that 25,000 people are waiting more than two years for treatment in Wales but in England and Scotland such waits have been virtually eliminated.

‘Miracles’

Huw Irranca-Davies recognised the challenges but said it must be balanced against the miracles being performed daily by the health service.

The Labour backbencher praised the “amazing” treatment he has received from the NHS, saying he has not experienced long delays.

The Ogmore MS, whose wife works in A&E, said: “It isn’t because, as somebody will say ‘well, you’re an MS, your name goes up the list’ – it isn’t that.

“The NHS treats me like any other citizen. It’s seen me, it’s seen me promptly and it’s getting me through the system as fast as it possibly can, and I’m having the best of service.”

Jane Dodds, the Lib Dems’ leader in Wales, focused her contribution on rural communities, calling for a rural GP premium to help with recruitment and retention.

Jane Dodds MS, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats

The Mid and West Wales MS warned that GPs are continuing to say they have had enough.

She raised a Royal College of GPs survey which found that one in four did not expect to be in their current role in five years’ time.

‘Crisis’

Eluned Morgan, Wales’ health minister, said: “I don’t accept there is a health emergency and I’m not really sure what we hope to achieve by declaring a health emergency.”

During the debate on February 7, she told the chamber that the Welsh Government has prioritised the NHS in the face of more than £1bn of real-terms cuts.

She said achieving performance targets has been difficult because demand has gone through the roof, with referrals increasing by 10% last year to 1.5 million.

Baroness Morgan pointed out that almost 300,000 people – about the population of Cardiff – are seen as out-patients every month by the Welsh NHS.

She said more than 2,500 people attend A&E and about 1,100 people call 999 every day.

The minister stressed: “I think the vast majority of these people would say that there is not a crisis. People fall over themselves to tell me how great their treatment has been….

“You’ve got to balance it. We’ve got to balance all of the criticism with the great work that is being done in the NHS.”

Health

Health concerns as banned American candy floods UK markets

Published

1 day ago

December 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PARENTS are being warned this festive season about the dangers of imported American sweets, snacks, and fizzy drinks, which are flooding UK high streets thanks to social media trends. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has raised alarms over unauthorised additives in these products, many of which fail to meet UK safety standards.

A growing trend, a hidden danger

Social media platforms like TikTok have popularised American confectionery, with influencers showcasing brightly coloured snacks in viral “candy haul” videos. This has made imported sweets a sought-after stocking filler for children and teenagers, driving record sales in convenience stores and high-street retailers.

However, this sugary trend comes with a bitter side. Many of these products, designed for foreign markets, bypass UK safety and legal standards. They often lack proper allergen declarations and contain harmful, unauthorised additives.

Major safety failures highlighted

A pilot project led by Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team, funded by the Food Standards Agency, uncovered alarming issues. Inspectors seized 3,378 items valued at £8,500 from local shops. Tests revealed the presence of dangerous additives, including:

Yellow 6 (E110): Found in snacks, linked to hyperactivity in children.
Carrageenan: Common in jelly cups, posing a choking hazard.
EDTA: Prohibited in drinks, associated with developmental issues in animal studies.

Among the inspected stores, 89% failed to comply with UK regulations. Common violations included:

Products with unauthorised additives.
Missing English labels or allergen warnings.
Expired items being sold.

In total, 3,700 non-compliant products valued at £10,300 were confiscated, including crisps with E110, sweets with mineral oil and bleached flour, and drinks containing EDTA.

A national problem

The issue extends beyond Staffordshire. Operation Tootsie, a broader Trading Standards initiative, revealed that 77% of tested products from national retailers failed compliance checks, rising to 91% among importers.

Dean Cooke, CTSI Lead Officer for Food, said: “Social media has amplified the demand for American sweets. While retailers enjoy seasonal sales, they must ensure products meet UK standards. Parents should check labels to protect children from harmful additives.”

He also reminded consumers to avoid products without a UK/GB address on the label, as these fail to meet import labelling laws.

Councillor Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, highlighted the seriousness of the issue:
“Our Trading Standards team was alarmed to find thousands of unsafe products on sale, often aimed at children. Poor labelling and unauthorised ingredients pose significant public health risks.”

The Pembrokeshire Herald advises that local consumers scrutinise labels carefully. Products with American weight measurements, such as ounces, are likely imports. These must meet UK safety standards, including accurate allergen declarations.

Anyone concerned about food safety in Wales can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline at 0808 223 1133.

This Christmas, Trading Standards is ramping up operations to tackle the influx of unsafe goods. Parents are advised to stay vigilant and prioritise safety when filling stockings with festive treats.

Health

Lockdown lifted at Withybush Hospital following incident

Published

1 day ago

December 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

WITHYBUSH HOSPITAL in Haverfordwest was placed under lockdown earlier today (Tuesday, Dec 3) as a precaution following a potential threat. The lockdown, which temporarily restricted access to the site, has now been lifted, with services resuming across the hospital.

Hywel Dda University Health Board confirmed that no one was harmed during the incident and that police provided assistance on-site. A spokesperson for the health board stated:

“Lockdown procedures were put in place at Withybush Hospital as a precaution for staff and patient safety.

“No one was harmed, and police assisted on-site. The site followed established lockdown procedures due to a potential threat.

“Access to the site and the hospital was restricted for a short period of time. This situation is now resolved, and access to the site has been re-established.

“We would like to thank staff, patients, and our partners for their assistance in managing this situation.”

The Emergency Department at Withybush Hospital remains busy, and members of the public are being urged to attend only for life-threatening emergencies. For non-urgent medical advice, people are encouraged to use the NHS Wales symptom checker online or contact NHS 111 Wales.

Dyfed-Powys Police said in a statement: “We have been in attendance at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest.

“The force was contacted at around 11.00am, reporting that a potential threat had been received.

“Enquiries quickly established that the threat was a hoax.

“A woman has been detained under the Mental Health Act and enquiries are ongoing.”

Patients with cancelled appointments are being contacted as staff work to rearrange disrupted schedules.

Health

Hywel Dda appoints new Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

HYWEL DDA University Health Board has today announced the appointment of Lisa Gostling as its Deputy Chief Executive Officer.

Lisa has held the role of Deputy Chief Executive at the health board on an interim basis since February this year, pending the appointment of a substantive Chief Executive Officer, which was announced in October.

Professor Phil Kloer, Chief Executive Officer, at Hywel Dda said: “I am delighted that, following a competitive process, Lisa is appointed to the post of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, a responsibility that she will hold in addition to her post of Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development.”

Lisa relocated from the West Midlands to Pembrokeshire and developed her career within the workforce and organisational development teams at the Health Board. She has worked for Hywel Dda and its predecessor organisations since 1993.

Since 2015, she has been a member of the Executive team and Board as Director of Workforce and Organisational Development. Since February this year, she also held the role of interim Deputy Chief Executive Officer. She holds a CIPD qualification from Sandwell College and is a keen Welsh learner.

Phil continues: “Lisa’s innovative approach to recruitment and to staff development has been of great benefit to our health board – including the development of our culture and values that shapes our work every day, and the establishment of the Apprenticeship Program that has seen us enable several local people to join our Hywel Dda teams and develop their career with us.

“Lisa has also been instrumental in supporting our work to reduce our dependency upon agency staffing and building our substantive workforce – ensuring greater sustainability and quality in our teams.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Lisa in her new role and wish her every success for the future.”

Lisa Gostling, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, added: “It is an honour to be appointed to this position and support Phil, our Board, and our teams across the health board in delivering health care for our communities.

“I look forward to building on the foundations of the past six months and working with our team of staff who are all dedicated to improving the health and well-being of current and future generations.”