Health

No improvement in cancer waiting times despite Welsh Govt plan

Published

7 months ago

July 18, 2024

TWO years after the Welsh Government unveiled its ambitious plan to overhaul cancer care and reduce waiting times, the latest data reveals a stark reality: there has been no significant improvement.

New figures from NHS Wales indicate that nearly half of cancer patients are still waiting over 62 days to begin treatment. This troubling statistic underscores the ongoing crisis in Welsh cancer care, despite the dedicated efforts of healthcare professionals.

Glenn Page, Policy and Public Affairs Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, expressed his concern, stating: “Around half of people diagnosed with cancer are having to wait more than 62 days to start treatment. There are real people’s lives behind these unacceptable figures. At Macmillan, we hear every day from patients and their loved ones about the unbearable anxiety and worry these delays cause, on top of everything else a diagnosis brings.”

The persistent delays in cancer treatment have significant implications. Survival rates in Wales lag behind those in other countries by as much as 20 years, a disparity that reflects the severe strain on NHS cancer services. Despite minor improvements from the previous month, the performance remains worse than the same period in three of the past four years.

In May 2024, over 800 people in Wales waited more than 62 days to start cancer treatment, accounting for 45% of all patients who began treatment that month. This is a slight improvement from the previous month’s 53.8%, yet still highlights the systemic issues within the NHS.

Particularly concerning are the waiting times for specific cancer types. Only 33.3% of urological cancer patients and 34.3% of head and neck cancer patients started treatment within the target time in May 2024. Macmillan’s analysis further reveals that survival rates for colon and rectal cancer in women in Wales are only now reaching the levels seen in Sweden and Norway in the early 2000s.

Macmillan Cancer Support is calling for urgent action from the Welsh Government. Page urges the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to update the nation on the progress towards meeting the commitments made to improve cancer services and reduce waiting times. “We need assurance that tangible steps are being taken to ensure people living with cancer receive the timely care and support they need,” Page emphasised.

The latest NHS statistics have drawn criticism from the opposition. Commenting on the figures, Sam Rowlands MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, said: “These abysmal statistics show Labour’s performance on health continues to get worse here in Wales. The Labour Welsh Government have consistently missed their targets and this is not just the outgoing First Minister’s legacy, but the result of 25 years of Labour mismanaging the Welsh NHS. The Welsh Conservatives would enact a substantial workforce plan to empower primary care services and would fully resource the Welsh NHS with every penny received for health, as opposed to Labour’s decision to squander these funds on creating more politicians.”

In response, a Welsh Government spokesperson acknowledged the challenges but highlighted the efforts and progress being made: “Our incredibly hard-working NHS staff continue to provide life-saving and life-changing care in the face of incredible demand for its services. More than 14,250 people were told the good news that they do not have cancer in May – an incredible number. It is pleasing to see performance improved against the 62-day target too.

“The number of immediately life-threatening (red) 999 calls to the ambulance service made each day was the second highest on record, and the proportion of these calls was the highest recorded. This level of demand – a 28% increase compared to the same month in 2023 – means it is increasingly tough to meet the target response times, but even so, there was an improvement in June and almost eight out of 10 calls received a response within 15 minutes.

“Performance against the 12-hour target for emergency departments improved slightly in June and the majority of people were discharged, admitted or transferred in less than two hours and 50 minutes. The number of emergency admissions decreased by 5.6% this month – a further indication that work through our national Six Goals programme to care for people closer to home is having an impact.”

The spokesperson admitted the overall disappointment in NHS performance figures: “The waiting list has grown again and, after 24 months of consecutive falls, the number of people waiting more than two years for treatment has increased for the second month in a row. The Health Secretary has made it clear to health boards that she expects to see progress – and sustained progress – to reduce long waits and waiting times for treatments. She will be making it clear to the leadership of health boards today that the situation is not acceptable and must improve.”

In closing, the spokesperson highlighted the scale of the challenge: “There is still a way to go to reduce the backlog, which built up during the pandemic. But the NHS continues to deliver an enormous amount of activity for a population of 3 million people – since April 2022, more than 2.5 million patient pathways have been closed at an average of 103,000 a month.”

Key Facts:

In May 2024, more than 800 people in Wales waited over 62 days to start cancer treatment.
Performance improved slightly from the previous month but remains worse compared to the same period in three of the past four years.
2023 was the worst year on record for cancer waiting times in Wales.
The national cancer waiting times target in Wales has never been met since its introduction.
For some cancers, such as urological and head and neck cancers, only around one-third of patients started treatment on time in May 2024.
Survival rates for colon and rectal cancer in women in Wales are just now reaching levels achieved by Sweden and Norway in the early 2000s.

Health

Hywel Dda Health Board announces Community Vaccination Centres

Published

1 day ago

January 28, 2025

Tom Sinclair

HYWEL Dda University Health Board is organizing pop-up community vaccine centres to make it easier for eligible individuals to access their flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

To check your eligibility for the flu and/or COVID-19 vaccine:

Visit: phw.nhs.wales
Contact the health board: 0300 303 8322 (Option 1)
Email: [email protected]

If you are eligible, you can either drop in at one of the centres listed below or book an appointment using the details above.

New clinics are being arranged for February. Stay updated by visiting the health board’s webpage:
Seasonal Flu Vaccinations

Vaccination Centres and Schedules

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthen Athletic RFC
Athletic Park, Johnstown, Carmarthen, SA31 3QY

Monday, January 27: 9:30am–4:45pm
Tuesday, January 28: 9:30am–4:45pm
Wednesday, January 29: 9:30am–4:45pm
Thursday, January 30: 9:30am–4:45pm

Llandeilo Fawr Civic Hall
17 Crescent Road, Llandeilo, SA19 6HW

Friday, January 31: 10:00am–4:45pm

Pontyberem Memorial Hall
Coalbrook Road, Pontyberem, Llanelli, SA15 5HU

Tuesday, February 4: 9:30am–4:30pm

Llandovery RFC
Church Bank Playing Fields, Llandovery, SA20 0BA

Thursday, February 6: 10:00am–4:30pm
Friday, February 7: 10:00am–4:30pm

Ceredigion

Tregaron Memorial Hall
The Square, Tregaron, SY25 6JL

Monday, January 27: 10:00am–4:30pm

New Quay Memorial Hall
Ffordd Towyn Road, New Quay, SA45 9QQ

Tuesday, January 28: 9:30am–4:45pm
Wednesday, January 29: 9:30am–4:45pm

The Pwerdy-Powerhouse Community Arts Centre
Chapel Street, Pont Tyweli, Llandysul, SA44 4AH

Tuesday, February 4: 10:00am–4:45pm
Wednesday, February 5: 10:00am–4:45pm

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire Archives
Prendergast, Haverfordwest, SA61 2PE

Tuesday, January 28: 9:30am–4:50pm

Regency Hall
King George V Playing Fields, Milford Street, Saundersfoot, SA69 9NG

Friday, January 31: 9:30am–4:45pm

Neyland MVC
Unit 1, Honeyborough Retail Park, SA73 1SE

Monday, February 3: 9:30am–4:45pm
Wednesday, February 5: 9:30am–4:45pm

Llwyngwair Manor
Newport, Pembrokeshire, SA42 0LX

Thursday, February 6: 10:00am–4:30pm

Bloomfield House
Redstone Road, Narberth, SA67 7ES

Friday, February 7: 10:00am–4:45pm

Health

RCN demands urgent action and transparency on corridor care in Wales

Published

2 days ago

January 28, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE RCN today issued a strong call to action to the Welsh government, urging them to take decisive steps to eradicate corridor care – a practice that is unsafe, undignified, and unsustainable. The most vulnerable in society, including many older people, bear the brunt of corridor care –where patients are treated in hallways and other inappropriate settings due to bed shortages.

Corridor care compromises patient safety and dignity by delaying timely treatment, reducing privacy, and increasing anxiety and stress. For the nursing workforce, it worsens workloads, contributes to burnout, and undermines their ability to provide quality care.

In open letters to the Welsh Government, NHS Wales, key watchdogs and advocates, the RCN has called for action on eight steps to end corridor care in Wales. The RCN’s eight recommendations include protecting patient safety and supporting the nursing profession by declaring care in chairs for over 24 hours a “never event” and fostering a culture where nursing staff can raise safety concerns without fear. Key steps include increase weekend staffing that can enable timely discharges, restoring District Nurse numbers to 2010 levels, and investing in social care to ensure patients can transition from hospitals to appropriate care settings promptly.

Additionally, the Government must pause hospital bed reductions and review capacity to ensure adequate care in both community and hospital settings. Investing in the nursing workforce and fully implementing the Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care programme is critical. NHS Wales must be empowered to divert patients to neighbouring services when necessary, easing pressure on overstretched facilities and improving outcomes.

Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: “Nurses are facing immense challenges in maintaining high standards of patient care amidst the growing prevalence of corridor and chair care in hospitals. The RCN’s recent report starkly highlights the stories of nurses who are striving to provide quality care in these difficult conditions. Despite the lack of proper facilities and the strain of overcrowded hospitals, nurses continue to demonstrate remarkable dedication and resilience. They often work long hours under intense pressure, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care even when resources are stretched thin.”

“Our recommendations provide a clear and achievable roadmap to ensure patients receive care in the right place, at the right time, and by the right professional. The nursing workforce is ready to lead the way – but we need the Welsh government to act now.”

The RCN is calling on the Welsh Government to engage all health care stakeholders, listen to the expertise of the nursing workforce, and prioritise patient safety above all else. The time to end corridor care is now.

Health

Leading pharmacies demand tougher regulation on online sale of weight-loss jabs

Published

3 days ago

January 27, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PHARMACIES are calling for stricter regulation of online sales of weight-loss injections, warning of risks to patient safety amid predictions of a surge in demand this year.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), representing independent community pharmacies, has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to require more thorough consultations with patients before dispensing weight-loss injections and other high-risk medications online.

The NPA cautioned that existing regulations allow medicines to be supplied without adequate consultation or access to patient records, leaving patients vulnerable. They called for a mandatory two-way consultation process to ensure prescribers have a full understanding of patients’ medical histories before issuing such treatments.

Greater safeguards needed

Responding to draft GPhC guidelines, the NPA criticised the proposed safeguards, stating they “still leave the door open for medicines to be prescribed and supplied without appropriate two-way patient consultation or access to a full clinical picture, particularly with high-risk medicines.”

The association recommended prescribers engage in direct dialogue with patients—either in person or via telephone—before offering weight-loss medications such as Mounjaro injections. The NPA also stressed the importance of obtaining comprehensive medical histories, rather than relying solely on online questionnaires.

Nick Kaye, Chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said:
“Obesity is one of the biggest challenges facing our country, and pharmacies want to play their part in helping patients achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
“Weight-loss injections can be effective when prescribed as part of a carefully managed programme, but the current regulations allow some patients to access these medications inappropriately, without proper consultation or examination of medical records.”

Addressing rising demand

The call for tighter regulations comes as demand for weight-loss treatments is expected to rise, with the government planning to expand the rollout of such medications. Many pharmacies already dispense weight-loss treatments or include them in private weight-loss programmes, emphasising a need for best practices to prioritise patient safety.

The NPA highlighted cases of patients who had been inappropriately prescribed weight-loss injections, including individuals with eating disorders or those with body mass indexes (BMI) outside the licensed range. Such cases increase the risk of severe adverse effects.

Kaye added:
“Medicines are not like ordinary goods for sale; they must be handled with great care because they have the power to harm as well as to heal. We urge the GPhC to make a full consultation compulsory for high-risk medicines and ensure supply is prioritised for those with the greatest clinical need, including those with type 2 diabetes.”

Warning against unregulated sellers

The NPA and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have also warned against purchasing weight-loss injections from unregulated sources, such as beauty salons or social media platforms. Counterfeit medications from these suppliers pose significant health risks.

The NPA advised patients to consult a pharmacist if they are unsure about weight-loss treatments, ensuring they receive safe and effective care as part of a programme to achieve sustainable lifestyle changes.