Health

Welsh Government unveils ten-year mental health and suicide strategies

Published

11 months ago

February 21, 2024

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has unveiled new ten-year mental health and suicide prevention strategies amid concerns about stubbornly high numbers of people taking their own lives.

Lynne Neagle launched 16-week consultations on the draft mental health and suicide and self-harm prevention strategies on February 20.

The deputy minister for mental health said the consultation documents have a clear focus on tackling inequalities in terms of access and outcomes.

She told the Senedd the strategies are separate but interconnected, recognising that suicide and self-harm are not diagnosable mental health conditions.

She said: “There is a prevailing misconception that people who die by suicide have a mental illness, and it is vital that we challenge this perception to remove the stigma.”

‘Overwhelmed’

Ms Neagle said a key theme is not to medicalise mental health: “We want to see a shift in how we talk about and support mental health issues to better reflect the needs of individuals.

“The majority of people who we might define as having a mental health issue do need support, but don’t need specialised mental health services.

“For those that need specialised mental health services, we have also been clear about how we intend to strengthen these further.”

Warning of unprecedented financial pressures, she told MSs the strategies will ensure value-based targeting of resources rather than set out a list of new funding commitments.

She said: “All available modelling suggests mental health demands will continue to increase.

“Without continued cross-government and multi-agency support, as set out in these strategies, the NHS is likely to become overwhelmed.”

‘Vital’

James Evans urged the Welsh Government to engage with as many people as possible, particularly young and middle-aged men who are more likely to take their own lives.

The Conservatives’ shadow minister also raised the importance of getting buy-in from health boards, given the challenging financial climate.

Mr Evans, who is currently steering the mental health standards of care bill through the Senedd, said: “Reducing the rates of suicide and self-harm in our society is vital.

“Suicide and self-harm, especially suicide, leaves far too many families and people and loved ones across Wales with a hole that can never be filled.”

Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru’s shadow minister, raised concerns about the planned reprioritisation of £15m from the mental health budget.

‘Damning indictment’

He said: “It is a tragedy and a damning indictment of how our society is failing the most vulnerable that suicide is the main cause of death for men under the age of 50.

“My own family and too many others here continue to grieve and suffer … suicide rates for both men and women remain high and well above the average for England and Wales.”

Calling for a focus on prenatal mental health, Mr Gwynfor said as many as one in four women experience a mental health problem during pregnancy or in the year after birth.

He told the chamber: “The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are instrumental in shaping their lifelong well-being….

“If we are to develop a truly holistic and preventative mental health strategy, it must be effective at the very start of life.”

‘Personal battles’

Jack Sargeant – who recently shared his own experience with mental health following the loss of his father, Carl, and best friend of 20 years, Jamie – welcomed the draft strategies.

He said: “I shared that experience and the experience of my own personal battles with mental health because I want to help others. I genuinely want to help others. I don’t want another family to go through what mine and Jamie’s had to.”

The Alyn and Deeside MS applauded the example set by Connah’s Quay Town Football Club, which encourages players and fans to seek support.

Jayne Bryant, a fellow Labour backbencher, who chairs the Senedd’s cross-party group on suicide prevention, raised social determinants of poor mental health.

The Newport West MS warned that poverty and inequality remain key risk factors.

‘What if?’

Huw Irranca-Davies spoke of losing a childhood friend to suicide.

The Labour MS for Ogmore said: “One of our tight little group took his own life, out of the blue – the most vivacious, the most outgoing, the most extroverted, the most talented of all of us, and I often stop and think, ‘What if?’”

Stressing that mental health remains a priority, Ms Neagle told MSs that the funding ring fenced for frontline services has increased by £25m.

“We are committed to reducing the number of people who die by suicide,” she said. “As far as I’m concerned, one person dying by suicide is one too many.

“The rates have been largely stable over the last few years, but we want to drive those rates down much further, and that’s what this new strategy is about.”

Health

More than 400,000 visit pharmacies for common health issues

Published

1 day ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH public is being encouraged to visit local pharmacies for free advice and treatment for a wide range of illnesses. New figures reveal that over 400,000 people used the Common Ailments Service in the past year alone.

Pharmacies offer convenient access to healthcare professionals, often without the need for an appointment, freeing up GP slots for those with more complex or urgent medical needs.

Common ailments service

Available in 99% of pharmacies across Wales, the service provides free, confidential advice and treatments for 28 common illnesses, such as sore throats and urinary tract infections. Since its launch in 2013, it has supported nearly 1.25 million people.

Around 220 pharmacies now offer the Pharmacist Independent Prescribing Service, allowing pharmacists to treat conditions such as ear, skin, and respiratory infections, sinusitis, and migraines.

A survey found that 95% of patients who used the service would have otherwise sought help from a GP or other healthcare provider.

Prescribing services expanding

Each year, up to 100 community pharmacists in Wales undertake prescribing training. From 2026, all newly qualified pharmacists will be registered prescribers, enhancing the range of services available at local pharmacies.

Primary care reforms

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, highlighted ongoing reforms to deliver more care closer to home during a statement to the Senedd.

Key statistics include:

GPs handle around 100,000 calls and 68,000 appointments daily.
Optometrists conduct over 2,000 consultations each month.
More than 420,000 new dental patients have been treated since April 2022.
District nurses see approximately 31,000 patients each month, equating to 1% of Wales’ population.

Comments from key figures

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said:
“We know there is very high demand for GP services in Wales, with around 1.6 million people contacting their practice each month.

“For most common health concerns, your local pharmacy is the best option, providing free and easy access to treatment.

“We are working with the NHS to provide more care in the community, closer to people’s homes, and to make it easier for people to choose the right service for their health needs.”

Gwawr Davies-Jones, a pharmacist at High Street Pharmacy in Barry, added:
“Since the new pharmacy contract was implemented in 2022, our role has changed considerably. Instead of being in the dispensary, we are now in the consultation room for most of the day, offering clinical services.

“On average, we carry out more than 20 consultations daily, from providing contraception to emergency medicine supplies.

“The demand for advice on common conditions is great, giving pharmacists an opportunity to share advice and treatment, including prescribing antibiotics and other prescription-only medicines without the need to see a GP. This helps free up much-needed appointments for more complex conditions.

“We feel we offer an invaluable service to our community. The services we provide alleviate pressures on the NHS, giving pharmacists great satisfaction knowing they are making a difference.”

Supporting NHS pressures

Pharmacies in Wales offer treatment for 28 common illnesses under the Common Ailments Service. Many also provide emergency contraception, annual flu vaccinations, and regular contraception services.

The Welsh Government has significantly supported this service expansion, increasing its investment by 24% since 2016-17, with an additional £9.9 million allocated this year.

***Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Miles visited High Street Pharmacy in Barry today to meet pharmacist Gwawr Davies-Jones.***

Health

Lymphoedema patients to benefit from online mental health support

Published

1 day ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NHS Wales’ digital wellbeing service has teamed up with a pioneering clinic to help patients manage the mental health impacts of Lymphoedema and Lipalgia Syndrome.

The Lymphoedema Wales Clinical Network (LWCN) established a psychological support service – the only one of its kind in the UK – after patients spoke of the emotional challenges of living with these conditions.

Patients revealed how their physical symptoms were often accompanied by depression, anxiety and worries about appearance.

Support offered by the service’s two psychologists is now being complemented by direct referrals to SilverCloud® Wales, a suite of online, self-help courses based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Dr Jayne Williams, National Lymphoedema Consultant Psychologist for LWCN said: “This is an exciting time for us.

“We’re looking at different ways for people to access psychological therapies – SilverCloud being one of them. The aim is to provide timely, preventative support before people get to crisis point.

“As SilverCloud is online, it has the capacity to reach many more people than we could see face-to-face, and its flexibility means that it fits around busy work and family lives.

“Being able to offer something that patients can do in their own way, at their own pace is brilliant.”

NHS Wales online CBT project manager Fionnuala Clayton said the new referral pathway was inspired in part by feedback from a ‘Living Well with Lymphoedema’ event hosted by LWCN, where patients were asked what they would like from its emerging psychology service.

“Patients wanted to feel as though they were not alone and that they still had a healthy and happy life despite their condition,” said Fionnuala. “They wanted easy access to support for building resilience alongside help to help themselves.

“Coming away from the event, we knew a referral pathway would support many patients across Wales.”

Lipalgia Syndrome – also known as Lipoedema – is an abnormal build-up of adipose fatty tissue, usually in the lower half of the body, which more commonly affects women.

Lymphoedema is another incurable, long-term condition which develops due to a damaged or poorly-functioning lymphatic system. Damage can occur as a result of many factors including obesity, surgery, cancer treatment, infection or injury.

People who are sedentary are particularly vulnerable as the lymphatic system relies on movement to remain healthy and move the lymph fluid around the body. Symptoms include swollen and painful heavy limbs and a higher risk of skin infections and wounds.

Said Dr Williams: “These are conditions that people have to learn to live alongside forever, which can be incredibly difficult.

“They have to cope with swelling and pain, they may have to wear compression bandages or garments, carry out daily skin care routines and do lots of movement.

“We see lots of people with very low mood. There’s also a lot of anxiety around body image and intimacy.

“Feeling people are judging you, and perhaps not being able to find clothes or shoes that fit you, means your whole identity and your social confidence can be affected. You can feel more isolated and withdrawn.”

Around 25,000 people across Wales use LWCN services.

Local health board lymphoedema services can refer people to the psychology service within the National Lymphoedema Team, which is hosted by Swansea Bay University Health Board.

Dr Williams said several patients had been referred to SilverCloud’s Space for Positive Body Image programme after attending a body image workshop.

Other courses on offer include support for anxiety, depression and stress.

Anyone in Wales aged 16 or over can self-refer to SilverCloud, without seeing a GP and from the comfort of their own home.

Fionnuala Clayton added: “We’re delighted to onboard the Lymphoedema Wales Clinical Network. This has been a collaborative effort between services, working together to identify how best support patients living with Lipalgia Syndrome and Lymphoedema.”

For further information and support on Lymphoedema and Lipalgia Syndrome, visit https://lwcn.nhs.wales/

To self-refer to SilverCloud Wales, visit https://nhswales.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/

Health

Tufnell talks tough on health care following ‘in-depth survey’

Published

2 days ago

January 20, 2025

Sarah Jane Absalom

TOP Hywel Dda health board officials are turning a blind eye to its escalating health care failings despite pocketing six-figure salaries.

So says Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell who is calling for an urgent meeting with Hywel Dda’s chief executive, Phil Kloer.

“The Hywel Dda Health Board needs to recognise that there’s a problem with health care outcomes and care delivery, but what is it going to take for them to recognise that?” Henry Tufnell commented this week.

His comments followed an in-depth survey of 1,000 people living in Pembrokeshire which confirmed that a staggering 62% have to wait more than a week for a GP appointment. 43% have cited a lack of available appointments as their biggest challenge, while no fewer than 87% claim healthcare services have worsened in recent years.

“But it’s the real stories that show the scale of the crisis,” continued Henry Tufnell.

“I know of a cancer diagnosis that has been delayed by over a year, while ambulance waiting times can be more than 13 hours, even for urgent cases. Critical care needs are going unmet and this is forcing patients to seek private treatment.”

Tufnell has now submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Hywel Dda University Health Board demanding greater transparency on waiting times, service provision and a plan strategy to fix the crisis.

“Despite all the latest evidence, in addition to everything we gathered during the election campaign, there’s still no acceptance by the Board that there’s a problem,” he said.

“But it’s their responsibility to deliver health care within this county, and they’re failing. The management is failing us here in Pembrokeshire and there’s a complete lack of transparency and accountability. All these people sitting in management roles are being paid huge amounts of money, some bringing in six figure salaries. But they’re failing.”

Mr Tufnell has now requested an urgent meeting with Hywel Dda chief executive Phil Kloer which is expected to take place on February 14.