News

Crabb calls for clarity on county vaccination centre

Published

3 years ago

December 27, 2020

PRESELI MP Stephen Crabb has called for clarity on when Pembrokeshire will see its own Covid-19 vaccination centre open.

Currently, there are two vaccination centres operating in the Hywel Dda Health Board region, Carmarthen and Ceredigion, both of which are administering the Pfizer vaccine. Pembrokeshire currently has no vaccination centre and NHS staff are required to travel to Carmarthen to receive their vaccinations.

However, in response to concerns raised by constituents about the lack of local vaccinations, the Preseli MP has written to Hywel Dda Health Board’s Chief Executive. Concerns have also been raised by some frontline NHS staff about the difficulties in accessing a vaccination slot through the Health Board’s website.

Stephen Crabb commented: “There is understandably a high level of interest among local people about the roll-out of the vaccine. As we saw earlier in the year with testing, asking people to travel to Carmarthen creates a real barrier. I have been told that Pembrokeshire must wait until the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine gets approval before a vaccination centre will open in our County. That could be weeks away.

“It isn’t at all clear why Withybush is not deemed suitable for the Pfizer vaccine when it is being used so widely now. In other parts of the country we are even seeing the Pfizer vaccine administered from GP surgeries.”

Commenting on the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine in Wales, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, Andrew RT Davies MS, said: “A growing number of people, especially those over 80 years old, are getting concerned about when they are going to be receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, with many reporting to us that they haven’t received any information about receiving their first injection.

“The vaccination programme is stuttering into life in Wales with some real concerns around lack of access for care homes and the over 80s compared to other parts of the UK.

“To keep confidence Welsh Labour Ministers need to get a grip. Otherwise, there is a risk, given the scale of the vaccination programme, the public will lose confidence in the Welsh Government’s ability to deliver it, replicating their shambolic handling of the virus to date.”

Meanwhile, The Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Wales have criticised the Welsh Government for failing to provide clarity on support available to vulnerable people this winter.

In its ‘Traffic Light’ framework of lockdown restrictions, published last Monday, the Welsh Government failed to give clear guidance for those who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (formerly known as Shielding).

Instead, the document promised to publish further advice for those who are in the CEV category and simply restated the fact these people were vulnerable. Now, over a week later, many are still waiting to hear what support will be available to them.

The Welsh Government’s webpage entitled Guidance on protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from coronavirus (COVID-19) – previously known as ‘shielding’ has not been updated since November, with their FAQ page for Tier 4 restrictions stating that people do not need to shield again but offering no information about support available.

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Chris Jones, once again promised the guidance would be updated, but failed to say when this would occur – only stating that it was “under discussion”.

In response, Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Wales have once again restated their calls for a full system of support for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people until mass rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine has been achieved.

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Wales, said: “It’s deeply disappointing that it’ now been over a week since the new lockdown guidance was published, but we are still yet to get any clarity from the Welsh Government about what support is being made available for vulnerable people this winter.

“Over the initial lockdown during the summer, the supported offered to those needing to shield was a vital lifeline for many. It allowed them to access priority shopping, get vital prescriptions delivered, and enabled them to stay at home instead of going to work.

“With a cold and bleak winter ahead, alongside a Wales wide lockdown and changes to the Christmas regulations, many people who were formerly shielding risk being left cut off and isolated. This is frankly unacceptable, and people deserve better.

“The Welsh Government must announce, before Christmas, what support will be offered to vulnerable people, provide clear guidance on this through both letters and online webpages, and ensure this support continues until mass rollout of the vaccine has been achieved.

“Anything less than this represents a serious neglect of vulnerable people and could put lives at risk. This cannot be allowed to happen.”

Business

Expansion for Ashmole & Co with acquisition of Jones Ward Accountants

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CHARTERED, Certified Accountants, Ashmole & Co, are delighted to announce their expansion following the acquisition of JonesWard accountancy firm in Carmarthen.

Ashmole & Co Carmarthen has today taken over JonesWard who have closed their office in Lammas Street, Carmarthen. All JonesWard staff, including Ian Jones and James Ward, have transferred over to Ashmole & Co and will be based in the Old School, the Quay, Carmarthen.

JonesWard informed their clients that the administrative burden of running a practice had increased significantly over recent years due to the constant changing money laundering and tax regulations, software requirements and so on. Over the past 12 months it had become more challenging to maintain the level of service they had been used to providing.

Ian Jones said, “We feel Ashmole & Co share the same values as us and have the necessary expertise and resources to ensure we can continue to provide the personal touch and level of service clients have been accustomed to. Myself and James are not retiring but we will be supported by Ashmole & Co’s partners and staff from now on in their Carmarthen office.”

Ashmole & Co partners Sharon George, Carwyn Morgan and Vinal Patel will strive to ensure JonesWard clients will continue to receive the high quality of service they are used to.

Vinal Patel, Partner with Ashmole & Co said, “It is our priority to make the transition as smooth as possible with all employees of JonesWard having already transferred to Ashmole & Co and are now based in our office on the Quay in Carmarthen. We look forward to meeting our new clients and working closely with them to meet their needs in the future.”

Ashmole & Co Chartered and Certified Accountants have been established since 1897 and are one of the largest accountancies and auditing practices in south Wales, now operating from thirteen offices throughout south and west Wales including Swansea, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Ammanford.

Charity

Fundraiser to take on epic 87k steps challenge to raise funds for Withybush

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SAM Faulkner is challenging himself to walk 87,000 steps in one day to raise funds for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in memory of his father.

Sam will be walking along the Brecon and Monmouth Canal from Brecon to Rogerstone in Newport.

Sam said: “Since losing my Dad last year, I made a personal commitment to do something to raise money every year for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest who looked after my Dad so well in his final days.

“I will be challenging myself to complete 87,000 steps in a day on July 20th 2024 – 1,000 steps for every year of my Dad’s life. I’ll be walking around 40 miles in about 10 hours.

“Canal walks were always a firm favourite of mine and my Dad’s, with many days spent walking along the Grand Union in Northamptonshire when I was growing up.

“My family and I, and the unit at the hospital, would be beyond grateful for anything supporters could give. Thank you ever so much in advance.”

Katie Hancock, Pembrokeshire Fundraising Officer, said: “We’d like to say a huge good luck to Sam with his challenge. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to raise more funds for the Cardiac Care Unit.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

You can donate to Sam’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sam-faulkner-1712508280259?newPage=true&fbclid=IwAR2tyVVQVea0DLQelSsrp7Ie2CKjX0jXGnwndR_tBKL-Av2kv8f5nchEolw

For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, go to www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk

Business

Dragon LNG explores integration of LNG and CO2 liquefaction processes

Published

3 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DRAGON LNG, based in Waterston, Milford Haven, recently announced a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions.

The company awarded a contract to Worley, global professional services company of energy, chemicals and resources experts, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study.

The study is focussing on exploring the potential benefits of integrating LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
regasification and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) liquefaction processes at Dragon LNG’s facilities. This integration holds promise for a more efficient operation, with the potential to reduce energy consumption, carbon intensity and the levelized cost of CO2 export not only at the Dragon site but also for Haven industry companies.

If feasible, the technology at Dragon would support wider collaboration with RWE Pembroke Net Zero Centre, whose CO2 would be transported to the Dragon facility for processing before being shipped via non-pipeline transport (NPT) to carbon sequestration sites.

Key aspects to be addressed in the feasibility study include:

Technical Solutions: Worley will evaluate various technical approaches to seamlessly integrate LNG and
CO2 liquefaction processes, ensuring optimal energy efficiency and effectiveness.
Carbon Intensity Reduction: Dragon LNG is committed to sustainability, and the study will assess how the integration of processes can contribute to lowering the carbon intensity of operations, aligning with broader environmental goals.
Economic Viability: Understanding the financial implications is crucial. The study will delve into the levelized cost of CO2 and other economic factors to determine the feasibility and financial benefits of the proposed integration.

Commenting on the partnership, a spokesperson for Dragon LNG stated, “We are excited to collaborate with Worley on this important initiative. As a responsible energy provider, Dragon LNG is continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance our operations while minimizing our environmental footprint. This feasibility study represents a significant step towards achieving those objectives.”

Worley’s expertise in engineering and consultancy services including in the CO2 and LNG sectors makes them an ideal partner for this endeavour. Their track record of delivering sustainability solutions aligns perfectly with the ambitious goals of Dragon LNG.

This collaboration underscores Dragon LNG’s commitment to driving sustainable practices within the energy sector. By exploring the integration of LNG regasification and CO2 liquefaction processes, the company aims to pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient energy future with their ambition of a net zero terminal by 2029.