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

Councillor Emlyn Dole, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, has welcomed the statement by Local Government Secretary, Professor Mark Drakeford, confirming that compulsory council mergers are off the table, with more emphasis added to regional partnership agreements. Carmarthenshire County Council already has several strong cross-boundary partnership agreements which help to deliver a variety of key services and strengthen the local economy. Larger partnerships include the Swansea Bay City Region, which helps to deliver economic development and regeneration, and ERW – Education Through Regional Working – which brings six local authorities together to deliver education services. The council also plays a key role in the delivery of shared public services. In 2009, the council and Hywel Dda Health Board were the first in Wales to formalise partnership arrangements with the creation of an integrated head of services post, ensuring the shared delivery of key health and social care ser...

Aberystwyth University has launched a new Centre for Excellence in Rural Health Research. The announcement was made at the launch of the Centre for Excellence in Rural Healthcare by Welsh Government Minister for Health and Social Services, Professor Mark Drakeford AM. The new research centre will see Aberystwyth University work closely with the Mid Wales Healthcare Collaborative and Hywel Dda University Health Board to address some of the unique challenges of delivering healthcare in a rural area such as mid Wales. The Centre will also promote and support an attractive research environment for clinical staff in partner health organisations. Dr Rachel Rahman, Director of the Centre for Excellence in Rural Health Research said: “Delivery of healthcare to rural populations is challenging, not only in the UK but in developed and developing countries around the world. Attempting to address the unique challenges of rural healthcare through the simplistic extension of urban approaches is no...

Welsh Government Health Minister Mark Drakeford was due to visit Prince Philip Hospital on Thursday 7 January at 12.30pm to view construction work on the Front of House project. The Minister will be met at the main entrance by the health board’s Vice-Chair, Sian-Marie James, Chief Executive Steve Moore, County Director Linda Williams and PPH Clinical Lead, Dr Robin Ghosal, and will be given a tour of the new facilities.

The independent co-chairs of a new group which will shape the future of health services in Mid Wales have been appointed, Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford has announced. Dr Ruth Hall and Jack Evershed have both agreed to chair the new Mid Wales Health Collaborative, which is being established following an independent report into the future provision of health services in the region. The study by the Welsh Institute of Health and Social Care (WIHSC) at the University of South Wales spent nine months listening to the views of patients, the public and NHS staff across Mid Wales. The study, led by Professor Marcus Longley, made a number of recommendations about the future provision of health services in Mid Wales. Following its publication, the Welsh NHS organisations providing services in Mid Wales - Powys Teaching Health Board, Hywel Dda University Health Board, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust – agreed to set up the Mid...

Delivering a future programme for the transformation of social care has been discussed by Welsh Government ministers and social care chiefs across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys. The Minister for health and social services Mark Drakeford and chair of the National Social Services Partnership Forum, Gwenda Thomas AM, met the four county senior representatives together with officers from Powys and Hywel Dda University Health Boards and Pembrokeshire and Powys associations of voluntary organisations. They discussed the readiness of the region for the implementation of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014. The Minister and Mrs Thomas emphasised the importance of the Act in providing a statutory basis for the transformation of social care in Wales and the need for strong political and professional leadership during an ongoing programme of change. They endorsed arrangements for delivering such leadership through the Mid and West Wales Health and Social Ca...

The generosity of Carmarthenshire people was praised as the Health Minister opened the new Ty Cymorth Hospice for specialist palliative care at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen.  The hospice is based in a building opposite the hospital’s Emergency Unit and has been completely renovated and extended by Hywel Dda University Health Board’s in-house design team thanks to £265,000 raised by the Ty Cymorth Hospice Appeal. It will provide fit-for-purpose physical, psychological, spiritual and social support; occupational therapy; and physiotherapy for people who need palliative care in Carmarthen and surrounding area. At the official opening, Professor Mark Drakeford said: “Carmarthenshire people have always been so generous and so committed to their community. This project has only been possible thanks to their generosity, the hard work of the Trustees and the fundraising committee and the partnership and support of the health board. “Three things have struck me as I have walked arou...

Hywel Dda University Health Board Chairman, Chris Martin bids a fond farewell to staff and colleagues as he retires from his role as Chairman of the organisation. Mr Martin has given over 14 years of public service in the NHS in Wales and during that time, he has worked with every Health Minister since devolution and numerous professional and dedicated colleagues on many different Boards. Chris said: “I would like to pay tribute to all the fantastic staff and colleagues on all the Boards I have served in Pembrokeshire Local Health Group, Pembrokeshire Local Health Board, Hywel Dda NHS Trust, and most recently Hywel Dda University Health Board.” “Their support and resilience is a credit to them and their dedication to this organisation is unsurpassed. We all know the last few years have not been easy and it is important to remember that change is never easy but change has to take place to ensure we have high quality safe sustainable services for our patients in the future.” Some of the...

Hywel Dda Service Change Plans - Statement by Mark Drakeford AM, Minister for Health and Social Services Change is unavoidable in the Welsh NHS, but proposals for change need to be concluded in a considered and timely fashion. In a Written Statement of 17 July, I confirmed that agreement had been reached between Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the local Community Health Council to implement the changes previously referred to me for determination in the North Wales area. I am now pleased to be able to update Members on the position with the service change plan for Mid and West Wales – proposed by the Hywel Dda Health Board. In January, the Health Board published its final proposals for changes to services. In accordance with our established guidance, the local Community Health Council were able to refer any elements of the proposals to Welsh Ministers for determination if local agreement could not be reached on the change proposals. On 19 April, Hywel Dda Community...