News

Improving how Welsh NHS handle complaints

Published

9 years ago

December 11, 2014

ACTION is being taken to improve the way the NHS in Wales deals with complaints, Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford announced on Monday (Nov 24). Considerable progress has been made in response to an independent review by Keith Evans about how the health service handles complaints, which was published in July. Action underway includes: Improving the way the complaints system – Putting Things Right – is promoted to make it easier and more accessible for patients and families.

Encouraging early contact with patients to resolve any issues when they happen. Developing a national approach to publishing data on complaints to ensure all NHS organisations publish information in a consistent way, which is easy for the public to understand and allows for meaningful comparisons across Wales.

New projects are underway so that patients and their families can clearly understand how to comment on any aspect of a service they may have received, whether good or bad. These include the pilot of iWantGreatCare at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and the Princess of Wales Hospital, in Bridgend to capture real-time patient and visitor feedback.

The Health and Social Services Minister is investigating the potential for establishing a national expert team to deal with serious concerns and shared learning. These proposals will be developed over the coming months. The Welsh Government commissioned Mr Evans, the former chief executive and managing director of Panasonic UK and Ireland, to lead the review, which made more than 100 recommendations to strengthen the NHS complaints process.

Professor Drakeford said: “The Welsh NHS treats millions of patients a year, providing high-quality care in often difficult circumstances. However, when patients and families feel they don’t get the care they expect, the system does not always work for them. Despite this, complaints received by the NHS represent less than 0.1% of all activity. When patients and families do make a complaint, they need have confidence in the system and know their concerns are being listened to and acted on. Since Keith Evans’ review was published, the Welsh Government and health boards have taken action to implement many of his recommendations. This includes looking at how we use data at a national level, simplifying the complaints process and making sure the resources to respond to concerns are in place. The Welsh Government and the NHS will continue to do all we can to make the complaints process work for patients and ultimately improve the care the health service in Wales provides.”

Crime

Police investigating attempted burglary at Haverfordwest shop

Published

1 hour ago

May 1, 2024

Tom Sinclair

POLICE in Pembrokeshire are investigating an attempted burglary at No.37 Food and Wine shop on High Street, Haverfordwest, at about 3am on Wednesday, April 3.

A window was smashed and the door handle broken.

Police said: “If you have any information that could help enquiries, please get in touch with PC 195 Tayler, either by: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

“Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.”

News

Don’t forget to vote on Thursday, May 2

Published

2 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Luke Sinclair

THURSDAY, May 2 is your chance to vote for the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner.

Don’t forget to use your vote and head to your local polling station between 7am and 10pm.

They are elected by the public to hold Chief Constables and the police force to account on their behalf.

A Police and Crime Commissioner’s job is to set the police budget and make sure it is spent effectively, appoint the local police forces Chief Constables, set police and crime plans in collaboration with residents and work closely with the local council and other organisations on these plans.

This is the first election in Wales where you will need photographic ID to vote.

Accepted forms of ID include a UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Commonwealth passport or drivers’ licence; and some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card. Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.

Or you may have applied for a Voter Authority Certificate which is also accepted.

If you plan on taking your Postal Vote to a polling station or County Hall main reception remember to fill in a vote return form. Without the completed form those postal vote(s) will be rejected.

You can only hand in your own postal vote, and postal votes for up to five other people.

You can find out more about the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections online (opens in new window).

Crime

Banned for sleeping in car whilst over the drink drive limit

Published

3 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Court Reporter

A MOTORIST caught sleeping in a BMW in MIiford Haven town centre has appeared before magistrates for being in charge of a motor vehicle when he was over the legal alcohol limit.

Police officers discovered John Steele, 30, soon after 5.30pm on March 9 when he was asleep in his red BMW which was parked in a car park at Hamilton Terrace.

“The engine was running and the lights were on,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told District Judge Mark Layton who was sitting at Haverfordwest magistrates court this week.

“Officers smelt alcohol, he was intoxicated and he was slurring his words.”

Officers were unable to carry out a roadside breath test as a result of them not being in possession of a breathalyser at the scene of the incident. Steele was conveyed to a police custody suite where two samples of breath were subsequently taken, the lowest giving a reading of 44 mcg.

Steele, who is employed as a machine technician in Selby, pleaded guilty to the charge of being in charge of a motor vehicle while he was above the alcohol limit.

He was fined £400 and ordered to pay a £160 court surcharge and £85 costs. His licence was endorsed with ten penalty points.