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

Pembrokeshire and south Ceredigion patients being treated for Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) are receiving the care they need closer to home thanks to the treatment and clinics provided at Withybush Hospital and Bro Preseli Community Resource Centre. Since April 2016, nearly 1000 patient visits have taken place with close to 500 treatment injections provided by the Wet AMD service at the Bro Preseli Community Care Resource Centre in Crymych. This is in addition to weekly review clinics at Withybush Hospital that see up to 40 patients each week, and monthly clinics that ensure patients receive their clinically prescribed follow up appointments locally and as soon as possible. To further complement this work, the Day Surgical Unit (DSU) at Withybush Hospital can now deliver a minimum of 25 treatment injections per week. Previously, patients would have needed to travel to Amman Valley Hospital in Ammanford for the same treatment. Joe Teape, Deputy Chief Executive and Directo...

A new service has been launched across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire to help community health staff access medication for palliative care patients. Hywel Dda University Health Board has entered into an agreement with nine community pharmacies to hold specific drug stocks so that community nursing teams can access them more easily. Difficulty in obtaining some of these drugs has previously been raised as an issue but the new agreement means that health workers now have better access to medication in urgent situations, reducing the time taken to find a pharmacy that has the items required. The Palliative Care Medication Service will operate during the normal opening hours of the listed pharmacies. A prescription will still be needed to have the items dispensed. The pharmacies are: CARMARTHENSHIRE Tesco Stores Ltd., Morfa Lane Carmarthen A R & H Davies Ltd 4 Kings Road, Llandovery Asda Stores Ltd., Murray Street, Llanelli CEREDIGION Morrisons Pharmacy, Llanbadarn Fawr,...

A new Bwcabus service is being launched in Pembrokeshire, thanks to a grant of almost £1.8million under the LINC project. It will operate mainly in the T5 section between Fishguard and Haverfordwest serving the villages to the east and west of the A40. Expanding Bwcabus into Pembrokeshire will also allow villages such as Trecwn, Puncheston, Maenclochog, and Little Newcastle to benefit from increased opportunities to travel and greater flexibility than is currently available. Bwcabus allows people to travel between local towns and villages within the zone or connect to the main line bus services to travel to places such as Fishguard, Haverfordwest, Cardigan and Narberth. In addition, it offers opportunities to connect rural communities into the rail network with hubs at Clarbeston Road and Clunderwen on the Milford Haven / Fishguard branch line. Bwcabus also has a number of timetabled fixed routes, which do not need to be booked, just turn up and catch the bus as with a regular servic...

Hywel Dda University Health Board is re-issuing advice to Pembrokeshire parents on how they can care, or access healthcare services, for unwell children in the lead up to the Christmas Bank Holidays. The vast majority of unwell children are cared for at home by their families when they are unwell, and general advice on how to manage common childhood illness can be found on the NHS Direct website www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk or by calling 0845 46 47. In the majority of cases, GPs and hospital Emergency Departments also care for children without needing to admit them into hospital. GP out-of-hours services are available in Pembrokeshire overnight, on weekends and Bank Holidays for urgent care and are accessed by calling your usual GP telephone number. Withybush Hospital’s Emergency and Urgent Care Unit also provides 24 hour urgent care for children with minor injuries. Clinical lead for Child and Adolecent Health Dr Simon Fountain-Polley explained: “Families generally look after their ...

Withybush Hospital’s Midwife Led Unit team have been shortlisted for a EuroKing Better Births Award at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Midwifery Awards 2017. The team who have delivered midwife led care at the hospital since 2014, have been recognised for their work to ensure the service they provide for mums-to-be meets one or more of the aims of the Royal College’s Better Births Initiative. Julie Wall, Senior Midwife and Service Delivery Manager, said: “I am so proud of the team and really pleased that the Withybush MLU team have been shortlisted for a national RCM Award. “Next we look forward to a presentation and interview about our work to meet the aims of the Better Births Initiative before the winner is announced in March. I am keeping all fingers crossed that they will win the award.” The Better Births Initiative focuses on three themes that are important for high quality maternity care: - Facilitating normal births for the majority and normality for all women - Increasin...

Opening hours at Withybush Paediatric Ambulatory Care Unit will be changed to 10am-6pm from Monday December 5. The move comes following a decision, taken in the interests of patient safety due to a shortage of consultant paediatricians, by Hywel Dda University Health Board last week. Referrals to PACU can continue to be made up until 6pm, after which necessary discharges or transfers to Glangwili Hospital when an overnight stay in hospital is required will be made. Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations Joe Teape explained: “We are carefully planning this temporary change and will be spending a lot of time during the coming days finalising the activation plan and making sure that all our staff, GPs, including out-of-hours, and partners such as the Welsh Ambulance Services Trust and NHS Direct are aware and are able to appropriately advise and assist children and their families.” A task and finish group with clinicians and managers is also being set up to closely monitor the ...

Hywel Dda University Health Board has agreed on the grounds of safety issues, to temporarily reduce the opening hours of the Paediatric Ambulatory Care Unit (PACU) at Withybush Hospital, but has not agreed to any longer term changes to services for children. At a meeting of full health board on Thursday November 24, the Board agreed the recommendation to temporarily reduce the opening hours from 10am-10pm by four hours a day to 10am-6pm in light of the reduced availability of consultant paediatricians. However, they did not agree to the recommendation to permanently merge the consultant overnight rota with Carmarthenshire. They did accept this was necessary temporarily due to reduced availability of consultant level staff. This will mean if there is a paediatric emergency out-of-hours at Withybush Hospital, the on-call paediatric consultants in Glangwili Hospital will offer remote advice to emergency and anaesthetic staff at Withybush. Whilst board members agreed the commitment to retu...

Hywel Dda University Health Board is currently experiencing some technical issues with the telephone system at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest. Sonia Hay, Acting County Director and Commissioner for Pembrokeshire said: “We are sorry if you are having problems in getting through to Withybush Hospital by phone. We are continuing to have some technical issues with the phone system and engineers are working hard to resolve the issue as soon as possible. In the meantime, we are advising people who are having trouble getting through to try phoning 30 minutes later, until the problem is rectified.” “We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and we will continue to provide updates until the situation is resolved. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

The safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children and adults in Mid and West Wales is the focus of a new website launched this week. The website can be accessed via two addresses - www.cysur.wales and www.cwmpas.wales It has been developed by the regional safeguarding boards for children and adults, CYSUR and CWMPAS. The purpose is to provide an information-sharing hub accessible to members of the public and professional agencies across the whole region – encompassing Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Powys. It also supports the safeguarding boards’ vision of professional agencies working together to promote safety and wellbeing, says Julie Breckon, manager of CYSUR and CWMPAS. “The website can be used by parents and carers, children and young people, adults at risk of harm, teachers, health professionals, police officers, probation officers, youth workers, voluntary agencies, and community members,” she said. “It will provide up to date safeguarding news, information ...

Service users, partners and health care staff recently came together to discuss how improved and more accessible mental health services can be provided across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire in the future. The discussions took place in a workshop setting with a focus on options for developing a new mental health service model in Hywel Dda University Health Board area. The event is the latest step in an ongoing period of engagement to work together and achieve the vision for a modern community mental health service that is accessible 24 hours a day; has no waiting lists; moves away from inpatient hospital admission and treatment to hospitality and ‘time out’, and provides day ‘time out’ and opportunities. The mental health needs of our society have changed significantly over the last decade. Advances in treatment options have seen many people who have previously required hospital care being supported to remain in their communities, supported by their friends and famil...

Pembrokeshire patient Wendy Lort has praised staff from Ward 4 at Withybush Hospital for the great care she received when she was attended for an emergency procedure at the hospital earlier this year. In a letter to the Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Chief Executive, Steve Moore, Mrs Lort commented on the exemplary, efficient and compassionate care she received during her inpatient stay on the ward earlier this year. Mrs Lort, who didn’t wish to be photographed, said “I experienced what I feel was the best nursing care possible….from the cheerful tea ladies, to the health care assistants, nurses and consultants, nothing was too much trouble – ever." Steve Moore (pictured here with Ward 4 staff) said: “It was heartwarming to read Mrs Lort’s letter and to know that her experience was so positive in all aspects of her care during her stay on the ward. “I am so very proud of our staff – they do a fantastic job – and I’m really grateful to Mrs Lort’s for taking the time to write...

Pembrokeshire’s bluestones and the link with Stonehenge will be the focus of a public lecture at Aberystwyth University on Tuesday 8 November. "Chips off the old block - sourcing the Stonehenge Bluestones" will be delivered by eminent geologist and Keeper of Natural Sciences at the National Museum of Wales Dr Richard Bevins. In 2015 Dr Bevins was a leading member of the team that identified the exact source of Stonehenge’s spotted dolerite “bluestones” as Carn Goedog in the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire. Three years earlier, in 2011, his team identified the source of another of Stonehenge’s “bluestones”, its rhyolites, as Craig Rhos-y-Felin, a site also in the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire just three kilometres away from Carn Goedog. A graduate of Aberystwyth University (Geology, 1974) and Keele where he completed his PhD, Dr Bevins’ research has focused on the Caledonian igneous volcanic rock of Wales. Between 1998 and 2006 he was Project Leader for the £33.5m project ...

Hywel Dda University Health Board is restating its commitment to maintain the current opening hours of the Paediatric Ambulatory Care Unit (PACU) at Withybush Hospital from 10am-10pm, as they are now - although it is facing renewed and significant workforce challenges at consultant level. There are long standing difficulties in recruiting paediatric consultants across the UK, and there are vacancies in all Hywel Dda hospitals, with continued efforts to recruit into them. There is a particular problem in Pembrokeshire during the next few months as a retirement, maternity leave and annual leave requirement coincide. PACU at Withybush Hosital, in Haverfordwest, is currently open 10am – 10pm and remains open as usual this week. The University Health Board is reassuring local families that they can continue to access services as they do now and need make no changes to how they access care. The health board has appointed a temporary locum consultant, and continues to try to attract more...

The countdown has started to the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star Business Awards for 2017. Details are as follows - CARMARTHEN JOURNAL AND LLANELLI STAR BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 Recognising and celebrating the diverse range of businesses in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN Businesses must work or be registered in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire or Pembrokeshire. Categories are: Retail | Agricultural | Construction | Manufacturing Large Manufacturing Small | Training & Development Tourism and Leisure | Food & Drink | Small Business | Services The event takes place on Friday 20th January 2017 CLICK TO NOMINATE Closing date for this year's nominations is Saturday 26th November 2016. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Zena Laws, business manager at South West Wales Media, on 01792 545585 or email Zena.Laws@swwmedia.co.uk

In a ceremony held at Pembrokeshire College, Wards 11 and 12 won for their work promoting the Welsh language on their wards. This has included implementing the More Than Just Words framework, which aims to improve services for those who need or choose to receive their care in Welsh, through the use of magnets to identify Welsh speaking patients. Using these magnets enables staff to provide the’ active offer’ reminding all staff that they have a responsibility to recognise and accept responsibility to respond to language need as an integral element of care. Wards 11 and 12 staff also held a successful St David’s Day event to welcome new overseas doctors to the area and to introduce them to the Welsh culture. Together with the UHB’s Welsh language services team, they provided a taster session for all staff to learn some Welsh in order to speak to patients. Enfys Williams, Welsh Language Services Manager said: “We’re very proud as a Health Board to have had an opportunity to sponso...

Local fundraisers and key stakeholders came together to hear the latest progress on plans for a new Specialist Palliative Care, Haematology and Oncology Ward (formerly known as Ward 10) at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest. Hywel Dda University Health Board, in partnership with its stakeholders, is preparing the detailed plans for the multi-million pounds development. The new facilities will strengthen services and provide a better environment for patients locally, through modern, purpose-built areas which are dementia friendly, supporting those with bariatric requirements and with improved facilities for relatives. It is hoped the development will also encourage appointment to key posts within the hospital. Dr Iain Robertson-Steel, Hospital Director at Withybush said: “We are making good progress in bringing together all the necessary plans and documentation for the development and have recently shared detailed layout plans with staff, stakeholders and the public. We will shortly b...

Cancer services in Pembrokeshire continue to benefit from the amazing fundraising efforts of Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal, which has recently passed the £25,000 mark. Bernardine Rees, Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board said: "I want to say a huge thank you to Elly and her family for their fantastic fundraising efforts. “Elly's energy and enthusiasm is incredible. We very much appreciate Team Elly’s support, which continues to help us in improving cancer services locally, particularly in relation to Ward 10 at Withybush Hospital.” As well as building a new Chemotherapy Day Unit in Withybush Hospital, Hywel Dda University Health Board’s plans for a significantly refurbished Palliative Care, Haematology and Oncology Unit (currently known as Ward 10) continue to move forward as part of a proposed multi-million pound development. The development of the proposed new unit, which is subject to engagement work and approval of a business case by Welsh Government, will provide a mo...

A Pembrokeshire mother-of-three has shared her experience of giving birth in Withybush Hospital in the hope that her story will reassure mums-to-be that they are in safe hands in the Haverfordwest hospital. 27 year old Francesca Davies of Johnston, Pembrokeshire, gave birth to her five-week-old daughter, McKenzie, at the Midwife-Led Unit in Withybush with her husband, Leigh, and sister, Danielle, at her side. Francesca has told how she felt at ease while giving birth at the unit, explaining: “It was about 1:30am when I felt my contractions getting very strong and painful, so I called to speak to my midwife, Dawn. She was very calm and talked me through the whole thing, giving me the choice to either wait or come to the hospital straight away. “I decided to wait but after around an hour and I couldn’t wait any more and headed straight in. Dawn had already filled the birthing pool for me. It was so relaxing. Well... between contractions anyway! “McKenzie was born just after 5am weighin...

A Pembrokeshire pharmacy has been recognised for its ongoing commitment to providing appropriate support and consideration to its customers who are carers. Boots Pharmacy in Haverfordwest has been awarded the Investors in Carers bronze level award by Hywel Dda University Health Board. The scheme, originally designed to help GP practices across the Hywel Dda area focus on and improve their carer awareness, is now being rolled out to pharmacies and selected hospital wards across the region. Sian-Marie James, Vice Chair for Hywel Dda UHB recently met with store manager Stephanie James and Claire Setford, Carers Lead for the pharmacy, to present their award and find out about the pharmacy’s work to support carers. Mrs James said: “It was a great pleasure to award the pharmacy in Boots Haverfordwest with the bronze Investors in Carers award. I was particularly pleased to meet Claire, who is a nominated Carers Lead for the store. I am certain that her passion for helping carers is making a...

Press officers at Hywel Dda University Health Board have issued the following release - Please be aware that temporary visiting restrictions are in place at Withybush Hospital (Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire) following an outbreak of Flu B. Specialists in infection prevention have advised that the affected area, Ward 10, is closed to all routine visitors at this time to help prevent the spread of infection. Any visiting will be at the discretion of the Ward Sister. We will monitor the situation daily and provide updates. For further advice on preventing the spread of infection please visit: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/862/page/75416