Health
Extra dates added to consultation on new planned and urgent care hospital
HYWEL DDA University Health Board has been seeking the views of staff and members of our communities about three potential sites for a new planned and urgent care hospital, as part of our wider strategy to improve health and care in the region. The consultation was launched on 23 February, and individuals and organisations invited to share their opinions on the shortlist of sites by 19 May 2023.
The Health Board said: “Last year, we submitted ambitious plans to the Welsh Government, which if successful, could result in the region of £1.3billion investment into health and care in west Wales. The foundation of the plan is to bring as much care as possible closer to people’s homes. We are planning for a network of integrated health and care centres, which will be designed with local communities across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
“A new urgent and planned care hospital is part of our strategy to help us provide more care in community settings, by having a sustainable hospital model that is fit for future generations. This will improve and increase the specialist care services that can be provided and tackle some long-standing challenges, including ageing buildings, problems in maintaining medical rotas over several hospitals, and staff recruitment.
“Our consultation sets out three potential sites for a new Urgent and Planned Care Hospital in the south of the Hywel Dda University Health Board area: two near Whitland and one near St Clears.
“We do not have a preferred site and we have not bought any site or land for this development. Purchasing a site and delivering the new Urgent and Planned Care Hospital is subject to Welsh Government funding, which is not yet confirmed, and if successful, would take several years to achieve. In the meantime, we continue to work with our communities to prepare and deliver the best health and care services that we can.”
Lee Davies, Hywel Dda University Health Board Executive Director of Strategy and Planning said “We have been engaging with individuals and groups through our consultation events both in-person and online. We are grateful to everyone who has come along to share their views and ask questions.
“As part of the consultation, you have also told us that you would like additional consultation events to help those unable to attend, or where the location of the events made it difficult to access for some. As a result, we are adding four extra in-person consultation events as listed below and an additional online event.”.
Friday 28 April | 2pm-7pm | Phoenix Community Centre, 1 Wern Rd, Goodwick SA64 0AA |
Thursday 04 May | 2pm-7pm | Pill Social Centre, Cellar Hill, Milford Haven, SA73 2QT |
Tuesday 09 May | 2pm-7pm | The Castle Hotel, Kings Road, Llandovery SA20 0AP |
Thursday 11 May | 2pm-7pm | Victoria Hall, Bryn Road, Lampeter, SA48 7EE |
Tuesday 16 May | 6:30pm | Online – please register on our website |
Details of these events, together with the consultation documents and questionnaire, are available on our website: https://hduhb.nhs.wales/new-hospital-site please come along and share your views.
We look forward to meeting with you soon and hearing your views.
Health
High pollen counts forecast for Wales this week
CURRENT forecasts are for high pollen counts from today until Sunday across Wales, and airborne allergens expert has said. Max Wiseberg added: “This is not good news for hay fever sufferers across Wales. The main culprit is oak pollen which is now in peak season and there are some early grass pollens.”
Max continues, “However, better news is that, whilst there is no cure for hay fever, there are many measures and precautions you can take to help reduce the effects of the pollen. Although many hay fever sufferers find that nothing really works or that some remedies help, but nothing does the whole job, or what worked last year doesn’t work today, there is another way. A novel approach is to combine products for greater effect, and create your own ‘Hay Fever First Aid Kit’.”
“So if nothing works on its own, or your symptoms are particularly severe on a given day, create your own Hay Fever First Aid Kit, in other words use a combination of products, which can be complementary to one another. I suggest that your ideal Hay Fever First Aid Kit will consist of a prevention, such as HayMax organic drug-free allergen barrier balm, one (and only one) antihistamine, one (and only one) nasal spray, eye drops and one or more other natural products,”
Max goes on to explain how all the elements of a Hay Fever First Aid Kit work:
“The first thing is to avoid the pollen in the first place with an organic allergen barrier balm such as HayMax applied around the nostrils and bones of the eyes to help stop pollen getting in.”
“There are several forms of medication you can take that seek to reduce the effects of the pollen on the body.
- Try an antihistamine, to counteract the effects of too many histamines, the body’s reaction to too much pollen; the most common are acrivastine, cetirizine, chlorphenamine, desloratadine, fexofenadine and loratadine.
- Use a steroid nasal spray, which works by fighting inflammation and mucus production, helping clear nasal symptoms – itching, sneezing, watering and congestion.
- Eye drops work in one of three ways; some stop the histamine release, some are anti-inflammatory and others block the inflammation caused by histamine.
- There are several types of each, so if one doesn’t work particularly well or stops working, it’s worth trying another.”
“There are many other drug-free and natural products available for hay fever sufferers.
- Quercetin is thought to limit the release of histamine; found naturally in many foods, it can also be taken in a capsule.
- Butterbur is a herbal extract believed to have an antihistamine-like effect on hay fever symptoms and is available in capsules.
- Immune boosting wellness formulae, such as Bee Prepared Daily Defence Immune Support which contains only all natural ingredients that help support the immune system, help the body fight the effects of the pollen.”
Community
Fresh pleas to save much-needed Pembroke Dock day centre
A PLEA to keep Pembroke Dock’s Anchorage Day Centre open is to be heard at a full meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council next week.
The Anchorage Day Care Centre in Pembroke Dock has been a “safe and happy place” for adults with learning difficulties and additional needs for decades.
In more recent years it has expanded to support elderly dementia sufferers.
But now the centre is expected to close, with services instead being offered elsewhere in the county, including Haverfordwest and Milford Haven.
A series of engagement events have taken place at The Anchorage recently, outlining the reasons and the options in continued service.
One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “One young woman who attends ran out of the first meeting sobbing when she was told it was going to close. Another, at the second meeting, tried to address the meeting but was so choked up at the thought of not seeing her friends anymore she could hardly speak.”
In a submitted question to be heard at the May 9 meeting, member of the public Peter Welsh will ask: “Is the council aware of the huge impact the impending closure of the Anchorage Adult Day-care Centre in Pembroke Dock is already having to the health and mental wellbeing of my daughter and 20 other vulnerable adults with special needs and learning difficulties, who are unable to cope with changes to routine, or to process and understand what is happening to them?
“And would the council, therefore, please review its closure decision and retain the centre and the vital and invaluable service it provides not only to the individuals concerned but also to the parents?
“If not, what specific measures does the cabinet member have in place to support my daughter and these other individuals who need extra assistance to enable them to maintain their independence, value and allow their carers to have valuable respite from their caring responsibilities and what are the estimated costs for these substitute measures?”
A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman has previously said: “Following the engagement sessions held with families and service users regarding the future of the centre on April 10 and 17 at the Anchorage, families said that they would like to maintain the Anchorage Day Centre and explained that they would write to the council in order to ask for the decision to be overturned.
“People who attend the service will be offered alternative care, all service users are currently having their individual care needs assessed by social work teams to fully understand which other services best meet those care needs.”
An online e-petition, on the council’s own website has been launched calling for it to stay open.
Health
Chairman opens new NHS 111 Wales Service Centre in Haverfordwest
IN a ceremonial occasion on Thursday (May 2), Thomas Baden Tudor, Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, inaugurated the new NHS 111 Wales service centre at Haverfordwest Ambulance Station. The event was marked by Mr. Tudor cutting the red ribbon, a task he was honoured to perform at the behest of Matthew Jones, Locality Manager of the Pembrokeshire Ambulance Service.
The NHS 111 service, which is accessible round the clock, offers urgent health advice and information about available services, including dental care and general medical guidance. This vital resource also provides support on managing illnesses and conditions and ensures continuity of care when GP offices are closed.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Tudor expressed his pride and privilege in participating in the launch, which underscores the community’s commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility. The new service centre is expected to play a pivotal role in providing prompt medical advice and support to the residents of Pembrokeshire.
The service is free and can be reached by dialling 111 from any phone, ensuring essential healthcare advice is just a call away.
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