Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

The leading legal firm in West Wales, QualitySolicitors Redkite, has been busy distributing money to charitable causes. Donations in January amounted to more than £850. The firm has its own committee of staff members, who meet on a regular basis to decide on charitable donations. QS Redkite Managing Partner Luke Smith said: "We try to be as supportive as we can of many local charities. We try to vary our support as we are keen to play our part in helping different communities of interest in West Wales." January donations included -  £150 to Royal British Legion  £150 to the Christian Lewis (childrens cancer) Charity. £250 to the Laura Rees fundraising event. Laura, 23 from St Clears, died in a car accident between St Clears and Whitland.  She worked at the Glangwili Hospital Day Nursery. £100 to Greenhill School in Pembrokeshire to help them with their rugby tour to Canada. £100 to Sarah Goddard as a donation towards her BSES expedition to the Himalayas. Th

Following yesterday’s announcement by the Health Board, Nia Griffith MP for Llanelli is calling on the Hywel Dda Board to listen to the clinicians at Prince Philip Hospital who made their views clear in the press in the autumn, and who are now working on alternative plans to keep doctor-led services at PPH. “Residents have not minced their words with me about the way the Health Board has handled the consultation - they feel cheated, insulted by the loaded questions in the questionnaire and furious the Health Board chose to ignore the 33,000 signature petition from Llanelli. "They do not trust the board, and are fearful that a nurse-led something or other unit (which the Board could not name!) might pave the way to further loss of services. "There has got to be another way. "I have already been in touch with a group of clinicians at Prince Philip Hospital who are working on a plan to provide a 24-hour doctor-led service at the hospital, so that residents can have t

Hywel Dda Health Board yesterday approved the closure of Mynydd Mawr Hospital in Tumble. An extraordinary board meeting of the Hywel Dda Health Trust approved the transfer of services provided from Mynydd Mawr Hospital in Tumble into the community and a new service at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli. The press release said - The Health Board has listened to all feedback received from the consultation exercise and other evidence, and subsequently approved a broader recommendation that will provide multi-specialty care to the frailest of our inpatients bringing together Psychiatry for the Elderly and Geriatric Medicine. The Board also committed to the ongoing planning and development of a modern, state-of-the-art community resource centre at Cross Hands as part of investment into community services to provide care as close to a patient’s home as possible. It is anticipated that the new service at Prince Philip Hospital will be ready to accommodate patients by summer 2013 and the ne

A prestigious network of producers, researchers, retailers and policy makers come together this week to discuss and share professional knowledge on how best to measure progress towards the need to deliver affordable, nutritious food while reducing adverse environmental impacts. The conference: ‘Producing more from less – new metrics for sustainable agriculture’ takes place in Birmingham on 16-17 January and is hosted by The Centre of Excellence for UK Farming (CEUKF) and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). With the universal challenge of climate change and the need to improve resource-use efficiency there is an increasing interest in how to compare and reduce the environmental impacts of agricultural production systems whilst continuing to meet the demand for affordable, safe and nutritious food. It is widely recognised that this can only be achieved by working collaboratively throughout the food chain. More than 100 delegates will take stock of current national

Restrictions on visiting following an outbreak of flu at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest have been lifted.  Hywel Dda Health Board would like to thank patients and the public for their understanding and patience during this time. Hywel Dda Health Board is urging more people to get jabbed to ensure they are protected against flu this winter. Polly Leett, immunisation coordinator for Hywel Dda Health Board, said: “The flu vaccine changes every year so even if you had a jab last year, you will need to get another this year to stay safe. “It’s a common misconception that you can catch the flu from having a flu jab. Because the vaccine is not live, it will not make you ill. The jab will mean you and your family have the best chances of not getting the flu virus and you stay healthy this winter.” For more information on where to get your flu jab (it is free flu to those people who are at the greatest risk of flu including those aged 65 or over, pregnant women and those with health condit

The leading legal firm in West Wales has lent its support to junior rugby in Laugharne in Carmarthenshire. QualitySolicitors Redkite has donated £100 to Laugharne Mini Rugby. Pictured above is QS Redkite legal assistant Melissa Halpin with civic officials, representatives of Laugharne rugby and mini rugby players. QS Redkite Managing Partner Luke Smith said the firm was delighted to be able to lend its support to the junior rugby players. "We care very much about our local community and we try and help a variety of sporting organisations where and when we can. Hopefully, our donation will help encourage youngsters in and around Laugharne to take part in sport." The Redkite team was delighted last year to be chosen as the only law firm in Camarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to join QualitySolicitors. Redkite was established in 2011 through the merger of two long-established law firms in South West Wales – Lowless & Lowless and Morris Roberts. The team at QualitySo

Hywel Dda Health Board has confirmed that is has listened to consultation feedback and short stay orthopaedic surgery, including hip and knee replacements, will continue to provided in each of the three counties. Only revisions and complex procedures will be undertaken at an Orthopaedic Centre at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli, for Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire patients, and increasingly patients from other parts of South Wales. Patients will benefit from a high quality service that will reduce the current duplication within the service and a reduction in the number of operations cancelled due to unplanned, emergency cases. This is because theatres at Prince Philip Hospital only carry out planned operations. Patients who currently have to travel outside of the Health Board area will also be able to receive more specialist and complex orthopaedic procedures, revisions and specialist rehabilitation closer to home in Llanelli. Dr Phil Kloer, Director of Clinical Services said: &q

Hywel Dda Health Board will provide care closer to home by providing minor injury services from community locations in future, and has listened to consultation feedback and will be providing an additional service for the peak tourist period for Tenby. During Your Health Your Future Consultation people were asked about transferring minor injury services currently provided at South Pembrokeshire and Tenby Hospitals to community based services. The extraordinary board meeting today (January 15) supported recommendations to commission enhanced access to primary care (community based) services, close the units and redeploy the specialist nursing staff to emergency services at Withybush Hospital. In recognition of concerns express regarding the increase in activity experienced at the Tenby Unit during the peak tourist season, a seasonal minor injuries service will initially be piloted for eight weeks from mid July to September (including weekends and Bank Holidays). The provider of the

Hywel Dda Health Board aims to have High Dependency Unit for Children and a Complex Obstetric Unit for the first time by the end 2015. The extraordinary board meeting supported recommendations to develop the new units at Glangwili Hospital (see earlier posts for other decisions taken by the extraordinary meeting). The board also agreed to continue to aspire to achieve a Level 2 neonatal service in Glangwili Hospital, whilst acknowledging this is unlikely with the present availability of trainee doctors. The Health Board listened to concerns raised in consultation about the level of care for babies who unexpectedly need specialist care and therefore the board has committed to developing clear and robust stabilisation and resuscitation services at Bronglais, Glangwili and Withybush Hospitals. However, the Neonatal Network believes that we can only deliver effective special care if we consolidate on one site, which will be Glangwili Hospital, improving delivery of a safe service to babie

Hywel Dda Health Board has approved a series of recommendations – amended in light of consultation feedback and evidence received - to provide first class healthcare services to the local population, now and into the future. At an Extraordinary Board Meeting on Tuesday January 15, board members agreed a number of changes to healthcare services that will support delivery of more care closer to people’s own homes and communities, ensuring hospitals are equipped to deal with the most seriously ill Consultation proposals have been amended following engagement and consultation exercises*: Mynydd Mawr Hospital services, currently delivered from the hospital, will be delivered within the community and a new service at Prince Philip Hospital. The original proposal was broadened following consultation feedback and evidence, so that the new service will provide multi-specialty care to the frailest of inpatients, including geriatric medicine and psychiatry for the elderly.  we will provide mino

A whole raft of decisions have been announced at an Extraordinary Board Meeting of the Hywel Dda Health Trust. They include the following verdict (press release) on Llanelli's Accident and Emergency (A&E) department  . . .  24/7 A&E departments, co-located with purpose-built clinical decision and assessment facilities, will be provided in Aberystwyth, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest, the Extraordinary Board Meeting confirmed. The Health Board has listened to all feedback received from the consultation exercise and other evidence, and subsequently approved a broader recommendation, with a clinically led group to re-design an unscheduled care service for Prince Philip Hospital and the Llanelli community. The current A&E Department will be re-titled in line with NHS terminology and will deliver a doctor supported, primarily nurse delivered service within an integrated model of GPs, pharmacists and community service teams. In addition, we will maintain a 24/7 consultant-l

Burry Port multi-millionaire Kevin Green will be on Welsh language TV again this evening. The S4C (Welsh Channel 4) magazine show Heno (Tonight) will be screening a feature on the centenary of Aston Martin cars. Kevin said: "Those who know me, will appreciate that owning an Aston Martin was one of my life ambitions. "I am fortunate to be the proud owner of an Aston. Reporter Patricia Lloyd-Evans came along to interview me and she was delighted to get a 'spin' in the car. "Those of you without access to S4C, can see the item on the Clic website (after broadcast) - http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_index.shtml "It goes out at 7pm tonight."

One of the star pupils at Carmarthen’s leading theatre arts group has landed a key role in a special performance of the musical Cats. Gwenno Jones, from Nantgaredig, is a pupil at Stagecoach Carmarthen, the theatre arts group based at the Queen Elizabeth High School, Johnstown, Carmarthen. The 16-year-old Bro Myrddin pupil will be taking part in a performance of Cats at the 12,000-seat National Indoor Arena in Birmingham on March 24. The world-famous Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is being performed as part of the 25th anniversary of Stagecoach Theatre Arts in the UK. “It is a massive performance – and a massive opportunity,” said Stagecoach Carmarthen principal Liane Davies. “Gwenno will be one of a number of Stagecoach Carmarthen pupils taking part in the performance, but she has been lucky enough to be singled out for a starring role. “It’s a big coup for Stagecoach nationally to be allowed to stage Cats – and it is also brilliant news for us at Stagecoach in Carmarthen. “Competition

Representatives of the Hywel Dda Health Board are in the St Elli Shopping Centre in Llanelli today talking about medicine waste. Wasted medication is costing the NHS millions every year – including an estimated £2.7million for the Hywel Dda Health Board, local health chiefs have revealed. The potential money wasted on unused or partially used medicines could pay for: 106 more nurses OR  2,700 more drug treatment courses for Alzheimers OR  178 more drug treatment courses for breast cancer OR  728 more hip replacements  A campaign aimed at reducing unnecessary waste was launched on January 14, 2013 across Hywel Dda, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University, Aneurin Bevan and Cardiff and Vale Health Boards. The campaign asks patients to: Only order what they need  Return their unwanted medicines to their pharmacy for safe disposal  Take their medicines with them when they go into hospital  GPs and pharmacists across the region have joined together in a bid to inform patients about th

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