THE FAMILY and friends of a man who died in a collision on Wednesday, June 12 have paid tribute to him.

Philip Venn, aged 60, died in a road traffic collision on the A40 between Llandovery and Llanwrda at around 1.05pm.

His family and friends have issued a statement to say:

“On Wednesday 12th June 2024 Philip George Venn was killed in a road traffic accident on the A40 whilst out for a ride on his motorbike.

Phil has left behind loved ones and friends who will dearly miss him. Funeral details will be released once they are known”.

Anyone who may have been travelling along the A40 at the relevant time, is asked to contact police.

Investigating officers would particularly like to speak to any motorists who were in the area at that time who have dash cam in their vehicles.

You can contact the police by calling 101.

NEXT MONTH (Jul 1), the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (Wales) Order 2024 will be introduced to facilitate an industry-led approach to eradicating the disease.

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is a widespread viral disease affecting cattle, which can lead to abortion, infertility, deformed calves, and compromised herd health and welfare, particularly among young stock. Herds infected with BVD often experience increased cases of calf pneumonia and scours, as well as reduced productivity and other cattle health and welfare issues. BVD is not recognised to be a risk to public health or food safety.

Cattle sector representatives and Welsh Government have been closely working together to develop legislation to facilitate the next steps towards the eradication of BVD in Wales. This compulsory phase of the industry-led BVD eradication programme starts this summer.

Eradicating BVD from Wales will improve standards of animal health and welfare and help Wales achieve its Net Zero targets sooner. Eradicating BVD from a typical Welsh herd of 40 cattle could reduce the carbon footprint by around 70,200kg CO2e annually.

In addition, eradication should bring significant farm-level financial benefits stemming from improved cattle health, welfare, and productivity, including increased milk yield and reproduction rates.

From 1st July 2024, the industry-led BVD legislation that Welsh Government is introducing will require keepers to:

1. Screen their herds for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) annually by testing a small number of cattle.
2. Isolate Persistently Infected (PI) animals from the rest of the herd for the remainder of their lives.
3. Cattle keepers will have until 1st July 2025 to complete their annual herd test.

These measures will support the innovative, industry-led approach to stopping the spread of BVD, safeguarding animal welfare, and maintaining a healthy and sustainable cattle industry in Wales. Cattle industry representatives, with Welsh Government assistance, will set up a Wales BVD governance body involving a comprehensive partnership and farmer support structure to facilitate BVD eradication efforts.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “I understand and appreciate the serious impact of BVD, not just on standards of animal health and welfare, but also the impact on production and the serious economic costs of this disease to farm businesses.

“The eradication of BVD in Wales is a long-standing commitment, and I fully support industry and Government working together in close partnership to achieve this outcome.”

Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, Dr Richard Irvine, said: “The benefits of being BVD-free include increased cattle health, welfare, productivity and fertility. Eliminating BVD can reduce costs and the carbon footprint of your herd. Maintaining a BVD-free status strengthens the health and welfare of our cattle farms in Wales, and can also help reduce antibiotic usage.

Embarking on this next phase of the BVD eradication programme in Wales is a really important step. I would like to recognise the industry-led approach, backed up by this new BVD legislation. We can achieve eradication through the ongoing efforts of all cattle farmers, working closely with their vets, to screen and protect their herds from BVD.”

Supporting comments:

John Griffiths, Head of Agricultural Research & Development and former manager of the Gwaredu BVD scheme, said: “It’s very important for us to work to eradicate BVD from our herds in Welsh, and this is one disease which is possible to eradicate. Many other countries are working to get rid of the disease and Welsh will now join Ireland, Scotland, and England to get rid of the disease.”

Dr Neil Paton, from Royal Veterinary College, said: “The BVD virus causes a huge impact on the welfare of cattle and getting rid of the virus will mean a much healthier cattle population and a much more productive one too”.

THE ROYAL College of Radiologists (RCR) has issued a stark warning about the escalating workforce crisis in Wales, revealing alarming shortfalls in clinical radiologists and oncologists.

Two new reports highlight a dire situation: Wales faces a 34% shortfall in clinical radiologists and a 12% shortfall in clinical oncologists. Without immediate action, these shortfalls are projected to rise to 28% and 38%, respectively, by 2028, the largest in the UK. Additionally, nearly a quarter (24%) of clinical oncology consultants in Wales are expected to retire in the next five years, compared to the UK average of 18%. Currently, trainees make up 29% of Wales’s clinical oncology workforce, slightly below the UK average of 32%.

Patient safety is at risk due to the critical shortage of radiologists. Wales has only 6.1 radiologists per 100,000 people, the lowest ratio among the four nations. All clinical directors in Wales report that they lack sufficient radiologists to provide safe and effective patient care. Cancer centres are experiencing routine delays in starting treatment and are struggling to manage increasing demand, relying heavily on goodwill, insourcing, and locums. Such delays are critical for cancer patients, as each month’s delay in treatment raises the risk of death by approximately 10%.

Despite the implementation of the Cancer Improvement Plan for Wales a year ago, the workforce crisis continues to worsen due to insufficient training and retention efforts. Hospitals are struggling to meet patient demand, and this issue is one of the most pressing challenges that the UK governments must address urgently.

The reports also reveal significant regional disparities in access to cancer care across Wales. Rural areas are the hardest hit. South West Wales has 7.4 clinical oncologists per 100,000 older residents, South East Wales has 6.6, but North Wales lags behind with just 5.3. North and West Wales suffer from the UK’s largest shortage of clinical radiologists, with London having twice as many radiologists per 100,000 people. This disparity leads to faster imaging test results and cancer treatment initiation in some regions, causing significant delays and increased anxiety in others.

An anonymous consultant stated, “I can no longer defend the NHS as an exemplary healthcare system. We are all failing and in so doing failing our patients.”

The RCR has written to the cabinet secretary, warning that without immediate intervention, Wales risks undoing decades of progress in cancer care. The RCR demands urgent investment in workforce development to ensure patients are not left waiting for a diagnosis and can begin lifesaving treatment promptly. They urge the next government to collaborate with the NHS to outline a plan to recruit, train, and retain clinical oncologists and radiologists, ensuring workforce stability for future generations.

Dr Katharine Halliday, RCR President, said, “Today’s reports lay bare a harsh reality: the crisis in Wales’ radiology and oncology workforce is jeopardising patient health. Despite our commitment to providing the best care, severe staff shortages are significantly impeding our efforts. We simply do not have enough doctors to safely manage the growing number of patients, and this issue will worsen as demand rises and more doctors leave the NHS. The immense strain on an overburdened system, coupled with exhausted staff and increasing demand, creates a toxic mix for the healthcare system in Wales.

“Urgent action from the governments of all four nations is essential. We must prioritise recruiting and training more doctors and implement strategies to retain our current workforce. Time is critical; doctors are working under extreme stress and are deeply concerned for their patients. We’re calling on the governments of all four nations to reset the system, save our NHS, and ensure that patients receive the quality care they deserve.”