National Health Service

[SteveH]

Could this money be put to better use ?

EMERGENCY departments and minor injury units in Wales are to get share of ?2.7m to enhance environments for better patient and staff experience.

The split funding, from the Welsh Government, will support different proposals submitted by every health board in Wales for wide ranging matters such as:

Improved accessibility
Better access to information
Infection prevention and control measures
Enhanced safety and security
Adaptations to better utilise space and general estate improvements

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24026337.2-7m-improve-emergency-departments-across-wales/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

THE Welsh Ambulance Service is appealing to the public to use 999 responsibly following a high number of calls in recent days.

The Trust has confirmed that almost 13,000 calls have been made to 999 across Wales since Boxing Day, and almost 36,000 calls to the NHS 111 Wales service.

More than 116,000 visits have been made to the NHS 111 Wales website in the same period, where more than 7,500 symptom checkers were completed.

Lee Brooks, the Trust?s Executive Director of Operations, said: ?Like our partners across health and social care, our ambulance service is also extremely busy.

?Pent up demand from the Christmas and New Year period, coupled with the seasonal illnesses we see at this time of year, means there are lots of people across Wales trying to access health services currently.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24026655.welsh-ambulance-appeals-public-use-999-appropriately/

[SteveH]

North Wales NHS alert due to 'significant and sustained pressure' as 17 hour waits in A&E
Betsi Cadwaladr health board warned of "extremely long waits" in emergency departments

An alert has been issued due to "significant and sustained pressure" on the NHS in North Wales. Betsi Cadwaladr health board posted a message shortly before 5pm.

They warned of "extremely long waits" in emergency departments. Health bosses urged people to call NHS 111 Wales to get advice about the most appropriate service.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-nhs-alert-due-28399256

[SteveH]

People who go abroad for weight-loss surgery, and then need urgent medical care back in the UK, cost the NHS more than it costs to carry out the operation itself, according to new research.

A study featuring five London hospitals recorded the details of 35 people who had suffered complications after travelling abroad for gastric surgery during 2022.

The data, shared with the BBC's Disclosure programme, shows the patients suffered from a range of symptoms including severe malnutrition, vomiting, sepsis, hernias and haemorrhaging. Five of them needed feeding tubes inserted, while the average stay in hospital was 22 days.

The interventions at the five hospitals for the 35 patients cost the NHS a total of ?560,234, or ?16,006 per patient, in 2022.

The equivalent amount would have covered the cost of about 110 bariatric surgeries in UK hospitals.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67946049


Also
Weight-loss surgeon told patient to 'eat, eat, eat'

A Turkish doctor selling weight-loss "holidays" abroad told an undercover BBC reporter to gain weight so she could have gastric sleeve surgery.

Dr Og?n Erşen told the reporter to "eat some snacks" so she could increase her body mass index (BMI) to qualify for his weight loss surgery.

The BBC reporter had a BMI of 24.4, which is within the healthy weight range.

"You must eat, eat. Eat something and reach 30," Dr Ersen said.

The reporter gave the weight-loss clinic information which would have meant her BMI was 29 but she was not weighed and no medical checks were carried out during her consultation.

Instead, Dr Erşen offered to book her in for surgery in three months' time and told her to try to put on weight.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-67949149

[SteveH]

Three health boards are being put under increased Welsh government scrutiny.

Aneurin Bevan, Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda all face extra intervention.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said it was not a "punishment" but "a recognition" that working "collectively" could "make things better".

The Conservatives said it was "eye-brow raising" while Plaid Cymru said it "begs the question" of how much control the Welsh government has over the NHS.

Speaking in the Senedd, Ms Morgan said the NHS was "under intense pressure" but it was her job to make sure that it "delivers the best possible care".

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-68074515

[SteveH]

THE Welsh Ambulance Service has revealed some of the inappropriate calls made to 999 in the past year, including ringing after eating too much kebab!

Of the 414,149 calls to the ambulance service last year, 68,416 were not a life-or-death emergency ? an average of 188 calls a day.

Some of the most inappropriate calls also included someone losing their false teeth, someone losing their voice and someone's hand being stuck in a door.

The Trust is reminding people only to call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured.

Andy Swinburn, executive director of paramedicine, said: ?Inappropriate calls put additional strain on an already over-stretched service and may delay help for others.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24071585.welsh-ambulance-service-reveal-inappropriate-999-calls/

[SteveH]

A very interesting article, assuming the stats are accurate...............

NHS Tracker: Find out about hospital waiting times in your area this winter

The NHS is entering 2024 and a challenging winter period. Staff face similar pressures to last year, with ambulances queuing outside hospitals and people waiting in A&E or for routine operations.

Enter a postcode to find out what is happening in your area with A&E, ambulances and hospital waiting lists across the UK.

cont/ tracker     https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59549800

[SteveH]

A NEW chair of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) has been appointed.

Dyfed Edwards, who has been in post as interim chair since February 2023, was formally appointed to the post by Wales' Health Minister, Eluned Morgan MS, on Tuesday, January 30.

Dyfed said: "Health, and the health and care system touches all our lives at different times and is a key part of the social fabric that sustains our communities in North Wales. We know that the health board has been underperforming and falling short in terms of delivering world-class public services for our communities but in the last year, I have met many incredible staff and seen some fantastic services.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24083863.new-chair-special-measures-health-board-appointed/

[SteveH]

Dentists who set up practice in areas of England with poor access to NHS care will be offered a ?20,000 bonus.

The government has also announced higher payments for dentists who take on new patients and teeth-cleaning in schools as part of a plan to expand levels of dental care.

The plans have been criticised as not going far enough by dental leaders and Labour.

The British Dentistry Association said this is "rearranging the deckchairs".

The ?20,000 "golden hello" payment will be available to up to 240 dentists, about 1% of the workforce, with the aim of getting more people to work for three years in the so-called dental deserts where there is the poorest access to NHS care.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68171171

[SteveH]

Troubled Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is making progress to move on from dysfunctionality found within its board one year ago, a report has found. After a period of significant disruption during 2023, the board is in a more stable position and working relationships amongst senior leaders are more positive overall, a report by Audit Wales said.

However, it says there are still fundamental challenges to address, including building a high performing executive team, recruiting substantively to remaining posts on the board, and ensuring the new board demonstrates a unified and effective leadership to tackle the challenges the organisation faces.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/health-board-moving-dysfunction-significant-28630240

[SteveH]

The number of patients waiting more than 12 hours for a bed on a ward after being seen in A&E in England was 19 times higher this winter than it was before the pandemic, figures show.

There were nearly 100,000 12-hour waits in December and January - compared with slightly more than 5,000 in 2019-20.

A decade ago these waits were virtually unheard of - in the four winters up to 2013-14 there were fewer than 100.

The King's Fund said long delays were at risk of becoming normalised.

It said the pressures this winter had received little attention compared with last winter, despite no significant improvement in performance.

cont plus stats https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68306477

[Ian]

We need more hospitals and staff. The second is the extremely difficult issue. 

[SteveH]

The government is considering plans to allow dentists from abroad to work in England without taking an exam to check their education and skills.
The proposal, which is subject to a three-month consultation, aims to address the severe shortage of NHS dentists.
It is hoped a quicker process would attract more dentists.

The British Dental Association has accused the government of avoiding the issues "forcing" dentists to quit.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68325203


Nearly 1,000 people with advanced Parkinson's disease are to benefit from a new treatment that involves wearing a portable kit 24 hours day.

NHS England is to roll out the treatment, Produodopa, which uses a pump to steadily release medicine into the bloodstream round the clock.

Many people currently need to take more than 20 pills a day to control their symptoms - with an inconsistent effect.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68316877

[SteveH]

NHS Tracker: Find out about hospital waiting times in your area this winter

The NHS is entering 2024 and a challenging winter period. Staff face similar pressures to last year, with ambulances queuing outside hospitals and people waiting in A&E or for routine operations.

Enter a postcode to find out what is happening in your area with A&E, ambulances and hospital waiting lists across the UK.

How are your local NHS services coping this winter?

Enter a postcode to find out. ...............  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59549800

[DVT]

I have to admit I have nothing but praise for the English NHS that I have had dealings with this week.

During a scan for something else last year, at Ysbyty Gwynedd, a growth was found on my left kidney.  It was then investigated further and yes, cancer.  Unfortunately, although a local surgeon at YGC could carry out the removal there was insufficient backup, that's at a major hospital.

So, on Monday I was taken by taxi to London, had the kidney removed along with the cancer on Tuesday, and came home yesterday, again by taxi.  The service and attention I got in London cannot be faulted.  I lost count of the number of different people I saw, and also lost count of different nationalities, but all were always very pleasant.  The actual surgery was carried out by an Irish female surgeon who explained everything to me afterwards - it had not been as straight-forward as first anticipated.

This does beg questions of the Welsh NHS ... there was 4 months between confirming the problem and actually having the offending part removed, which had grown 15mm in that time.  Insufficient back-up in the theatre was the reason I was sent to London, the local surgeon suggested I write to the management to complain - and apparently there are 2 or 3 patients a week going from Wales to the same London Free Hospital as I did, plus others going to other hospitals depending on the propblem.

Whilst our beloved Senedd won't put money into the Welsh NHS they seem happy to pay for my taxi there and back, there was also the pre-op three weeks earlier.

No, they waste money on 20-mph stuff, farmers, trees in Uganda, Drakeford's helicopter trips and as for Lee Waters and Systrans, well no comment, along with a long list of wasteful projects  And they are still pressing on with spending "our" money onthese proposals.

Senedd really need a huge wake-up call.  I have been one of the lucky ones, there will be many not to be so.