Long-serving staff member and patient took on 800°C embers to give back to service that has supported her family for years

A MEMBER of staff at Withybush Hospital has raised £528 for Rheumatology Services after taking part in Hywel Dda Health Charities’ firewalk challenge.

Tracy Beynon, who has worked at Withybush for 23 years and has also been a rheumatology patient for 20 years, took part in the barefoot walk across 800°C embers in October to support the department.

She said she had always wanted to try a firewalk and jumped at the chance to do one for her local health board.

Tracy said: “Over the years, I have done some wild things to raise money for various charities, including shaving my head after a Six Nations rugby match 11 years ago.

“Rheumatology have looked after many generations of my family throughout the years, and I wanted to try and give something back to help the team and the patients they serve.

“I was stunned by how much money I raised. After I put a video on TikTok, I had a number of donations from people I have never even met. I will forever be thankful to my friends and family for supporting all of my mad fundraising ideas.”

Katie Hancock, Fundraising Officer for Hywel Dda Health Charities, said: “A huge thank you to Tracy for showing her support to the service that has taken such good care of her for so long.

“The generous charitable donations we receive do not replace NHS funding. Instead, they support additional items and activities outside core NHS expenditure. These small extras make a big difference, and we are so grateful for every donation we receive.”

Hywel Dda Health Charities said donations help provide added items and activities for local NHS patients and staff beyond core NHS spending.

For more information about the charity and how to support local NHS services, visit the Hywel Dda Health Charities website.

AHEAD of the Senedd elections in May, British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is calling on the next Welsh Government to do more to protect people in Wales from preventable pest problems in their homes.

In its new manifesto for public health pest management in Wales, the national trade body says no one should have to live with rats, cockroaches, flies or other pests because of poor housing conditions, slow repairs or inadequate waste management. 

Housing, public health and environmental regulation are devolved to the Senedd. 

BPCA is urging Welsh policymakers to make sure protections against pest problems apply to all renters, not just those in social housing. 

The Association warned that pests in homes are not just a nuisance and can pose a risk to health. 

Rodents can spread diseases, including leptospirosis, salmonella and listeria, while also causing damage by gnawing pipes and wiring. Cockroaches, flies, and other insects can spread pathogens, contaminate food and damage belongings. 

Rosina Robson, Chief Exec of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), said: “Too many people are still being left to deal with pest problems that could and should have been prevented. 

“Where there are building defects, poor waste management or delays to repairs, infestations can quickly take hold. That has a real impact on people’s health, well-being, and quality of life. 

“It should not matter whether someone lives in social housing, private rented housing or temporary accommodation. The risks posed by pests are the same, and the protections should be too. 

“We want the next Welsh Government to recognise the danger pests pose in people’s homes and make sure everyone in Wales has the right to live in a decent home that is protected from avoidable infestations.” 

BPCA’s manifesto calls on the next Welsh Government to: 

• Recognise the danger that pests pose to the health and well-being of tenants  
• Ensure protections for all renters, including people living in social rented, private rented and temporary accommodation  
• Back a stronger public health approach to pest management in Wales.  

The manifesto also highlights the wider role of professional pest management in protecting public health, food supply chains and the built environment across Wales. 

BPCA says tackling pests properly means more than responding once an infestation has taken hold. Landlords and property managers also need to act on the advice of pest professionals, including improving communal waste disposal, repairing defects in buildings and addressing the conditions that allow pests to thrive. 

Niall Gallagher, BPCA’s Technical Manager, added: “We wouldn’t accept pest activity in places such as factories or restaurants where food is prepared, and people should not be expected to put up with the same risks in their own homes. 

“This is about prevention, public health and basic standards. Wales has an opportunity to lead the way and make sure fewer people are left living in misery because of pests.” 

BPCA’s full manifesto, A manifesto for public health pest management in Wales, is available from the Association’s website. 

THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING WALES has warned of a growing jobs crisis for newly qualified nurses, saying a shortage of Band 5 posts could leave up to half of this year’s nursing graduates without work when recruitment opens.

The union said the situation was particularly alarming given the severe pressures already facing NHS Wales, with staff continuing to report overcrowded wards, unsafe conditions and unmanageable workloads across multiple health boards.

RCN Wales said the lack of available jobs for newly trained nurses pointed to a serious failure in workforce planning. It warned that losing new entrants to the profession would place even more strain on already overstretched services and could further affect patient care.

The organisation said the situation also undermined the Welsh Government’s and NHS Wales’ duty to improve the quality and safety of care.

RCN Wales is calling on the Welsh Government to provide urgent clarity on the scale of the shortfall, set out credible long-term workforce planning, and introduce immediate system-wide measures to recruit, retain and deploy the nursing workforce Wales needs.

The union said it had received assurances that students would not be penalised if posts were unavailable. That includes being released from any obligation to work in Wales and not being required to repay tuition fee support where workforce shortages prevent them from securing employment.

Professor Sandy Harding, Associate Director of Nursing at RCN Wales, said: “The situation facing newly registered nurses is deeply concerning and exposes serious failures in workforce planning.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that this situation is being driven by financial constraints, including the freezing of vacant posts within local health boards. Our NHS is under intense pressure, yet hundreds of newly qualified nurses may have no posts to enter. This is simply unacceptable.

“These students stepped forward for Wales, trained through immense challenges, and now face uncertainty at the very moment the system needs them most. They deserve far better.

“Every newly qualified nurse will be vital to meeting Wales’s care needs. The RCN will continue to demand transparency, accountability and long-term planning from the system. We will not stop speaking up for students, for our safety-critical nursing workforce, and for the people who rely on safe, high-quality care.”