Health Minister launches NHS "coversation"

* Llan Cottage Hospital 

The following could interest those fighting to prevent the closure of Llan Cottage Hospital:

Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has today launched a conversation around how the NHS, the public and the Government in Wales can work better together on improving health and health services.

The aim will be to make it easier for people to talk to the NHS and Government and get the information and help they need.
A consultation on a ‘compact’ linking the Welsh Government, the NHS and the public was a commitment in Together for Health, the five year plan for the NHS in Wales.
The consultation is asking people to offer their views to help drive improvements faster. How can services be improved? How can the NHS improve the way it works with communities and offers advice to individuals? Can people be better helped to manage their own health and health problems?
It also raises questions about whether people might do more to help themselves – for example quitting smoking or eating more healthily.
Lesley Griffiths said: “Our five year strategy for the NHS, Together for Health, sets out a vision of creating a Wales where health matches the best anywhere.
“But the NHS cannot do this alone – it can only be achieved where there is a partnership between the health service and the public.
“Of course, there are already many ways in which Government and the NHS and the public exchange ideas, information and views, but I think we can do more and we can do it better.
“This consultation is the start of a new discussion about what are the responsibilities of the Government, the NHS and people across Wales.
“It is about how people can play a greater part in managing their own health and improving health services in Wales, and how the Government and NHS can help that happen.
“To have a health service which is safe and sustainable and meets everyone’s needs as much as possible, we want to hear what people expect from the NHS and how they think the NHS can work with them to protect and improve health.”
The consultation closes on 24 October 2012.

Revised plan submitted for Cilmedw site

llanblogger exclusive

Denbighshire County Council says it is re-consulting interested parties after the applicant submitted revised details for the controversial plan to relocate the Dobson & Crowther factory to Cilmedw Farm in Llan.

Llanblogger noticed that, last Friday, the applicant had submitted an amendment to the original plan lodged with the council early this year.

We asked the council for an explanation and a spokesman said: “We have received revised details of the access arrangements relating to the factory relocation application at Cilmedw.

“The applicants are now proposing a signal controlled (traffic light)  junction onto the A5 rather than a junction with a right turn lane.

“We're carrying out a limited reconsultation exercise this week and it is likely the application and the one for the foodstore will be reported to Planning Committee on September 19th.”

The scheme to build a Sainsbury’s supermarket on what is currently the Dobson & Crowther factory off the A5 at Berwyn Street and relocate the factory to Cilmedw has caused a major controversy in the town, with two rival groups set up to either support or oppose it.

In late June, the county council said progress on the planning applications for a new foodstore and a replacement factory for the Dobson and Crowther business in Llangollen has been delayed pending resolution of highway issues in relation to the factory proposals at Cilmedw.

It was anticipated that the applications would be considered at Denbighshire's Planning Committee meeting on July 18th, but Welsh Government Transport - the highway authority for the A5 trunk road - requested the Cilmedw application be held in abeyance until the outstanding matters were resolved.

The multi-million pound investment would see a 20,000 square foot supermarket and car park built on Dobson & Crowther’s existing site by the town’s riverside.

The company also hopes to build a new 45,000 sq ft envelope manufacturing facility by the A5 at Cilmedw.

Sainsbury’s say the development would create 130 new jobs, some full-time and some part-time.

While opponents of the plan claim it would take trade away from local shops, supporters say it would provide a vital jobs boost for the town.

Details of the revised plan can be seen at http://planning.denbighshire.gov.uk/lg/GFPlanningSearchResults.page. The planning reference number is 03/2012/0029

Llan to host major celebration of sport

* The Olympic opening ceremony.

With Olympic mania reaching fever pitch,Denbighshire County Council is hoping to capitalise on the renewed interestin sport to celebrate the outstanding contribution made by dedicated sports performers, coaches, volunteers and clubs in the county.
The Council is re-establishing its Community Sports Awards, with the aim of honouring and celebrating sporting talent at an award ceremony taking place at Llangollen Pavilion on Thursday, 25 October.
There are nine categories covering all aspects of sport:
· Sports Performer
· Junior Sports Performer
· Coach of the Year
· Team of the Year
· Volunteer of the Year
· Disability Sport Award
· Unsung Hero Award
· Young Inspiration Award
· Denbighshire Sport Ambassador 2012
Anyone can nominate through post, phone oronline at www.denbighshireleisure.co.uk/sportsawards and a selection panel will decide the winners, which will be announcedat the award ceremony taking place at Llangollen Pavilion.
Nomination formsare available online or through the Active Lifestyle Team, 46 Clwyd Street,Ruthin, telephone 01824 712700. The deadline for nominations is 31 August.
Jamie Groves, Denbighshire's Head of Marketing,Communications and Leisure, said: "This year the Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the single most significant opportunity in our lifetime to drive up sports participation and to inspire our young people to believein the power of the Olympics ethos, to be the best that they can be.
"With this in mind, we want to celebrate theexcellent work of individuals and groups who go the extra mile for sportin our communities and what better way to do this than to re-introducethe community awards."
The sponsors of the event are: Coleg Llandrillo Rhyl, Prifysgol Glyndwr University, Denbighshire Housing Services and Denbighshire Leisure Services.
For more information on sponsorship and tojoin the legacy of one of the biggest annual celebrations of community sports in North Wales, please contact Matt Hilliker on 07798 742290 ore-mail: matthew.hilliker@denbighshire.gov.uk

llanblogger reaches a grand milestone

llanblogger has just passed the important milestone of 1,000 page views in just its first three weeks of going live.

On Tuesday night, we crashed through the crucial popularity barrier and are now heading for even greater things.

We'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who has looked at and read our stories since our launch day on July 9.

We would also like to thank our growing band of contributors for sending in their news items and pictures to help keep our blog as vibrant as possible.

But we're always on the lookout for more news.

If you've got something to shout about which is relevant to Llangollen and its surrounding areas, we'd love to hear from you.

Just sent your news items, with pictures attached, to our email address: llanblogger@gmail.com, and we'll try to publish it online a soon as we can.

Remember, we also have a dedicated Facebook page at llanblogger.co.uk and you can also follow us on Twitter at #ProbinPhil.

Thanks again,
llanblogger editor     

llanblogger now on Facebook

llanblogger now has its own dedicated Facebook page.

 

You can find us at llanblogger.co.uk

Supermarket plan for Ruabon deferred

Wrexham’s planning committee has deferred a decision on a scheme to build a 46,000 square foot supermarket in neighbouring Ruabon. 

The decision may interest people in Llangollen opposed to a supermarket development at the Dobson & Crowther site on the A5. 

The council’s own officers recommended committee members to refuse the application by Manchester-based developers Capital and Centric PLC for the former Griflex site at Ruabon Industrial Estate on the grounds the applicants failed to show there was a need for a store of this size in the area.  

But at their meeting on Monday night, they decided to defer a decision on the plan until more up-to-date details are available for them to consider. 

A public consultation on the Ruabon proposal held earlier this year suggested “overwhelming support” for the £6 million project, according to Manchester-based developers Capital and Centric PLC, with 92 per cent of those consulted voting in favour. 

It is claimed the supermarket could create 250 jobs. 

However, Wrexham’s planning chief, Lawrence Isted, recommended refusal. 

He said in a report to the committee: “The Retail Assessment fails to demonstrate that there a need for a development of the size proposed and to adequately undertake a comprehensive sequential assessment of alternative sites.  

“The Retail Assessment also underestimates the detrimental impact the development is likely to have upon the vitality and viability of the district shopping centres of Rhos and Ruabon.  

“As such the development does not accord with policy S4 of the Wrexham Unitary Development or Planning Policy Wales Chapter 10 Planning for Retail and Town Centres.   

“The proposed is poorly located in order to promote a reduction in the need to travel and a reduction in the number of journeys made by private car due to the fact that it is located in relation to dedicated cycling routes, is remote from residential areas and is not served by bus services from large parts of the Primary Catchment Area.  

“The development does not accord with Planning Policy Wales Chapter 8:Transport and Technical Advice Note 18 Transport.   

“Due to the loss of existing soft landscaping, trees and hedges, the introduction of a large car highly visible park and the lack of opportunities for new landscaping, the development will have a detrimental impact upon the appearance of the locality and as such does not accord with policy GDP1(a) of the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan.”

NHS in Wales gets clean bill of health

The NHS in Wales has made significant advances over the last year in improving access to treatment and delivering improved quality of care, according to the first annual report from NHS Wales Chief Executive David Sissling.

Tuesday 31 July 2012

Achievements during 2011/12 include:

• all seven Welsh Local Health Boards now delivering fast access to stroke treatment;
• a 32 per cent reduction in cases of C.difficile infections – more than 600 fewer cases and more than 30 lives saved;
• the best sustained performance by the ambulance service since current records began;
• a reduction in patient stays in hospital – the length of time in hospital for a hip replacement fell from 7.2 days to 6.2 days, and knee replacement fell from 6.8 days to 6 days.
• reductions in the number of hospital admissions for major chronic conditions, including a 25 per cent fall in the number of readmissions for respiratory conditions;
• high patient satisfaction ratings in terms of staff providing dignity in care;
• delivering financial balance and realising £290m of efficiency savings; and
• reductions in orthopaedic waiting times

David Sissling said:

“I am pleased to report a pattern of general improvement which shows the NHS has risen to the challenge set by the Minister for Health and Social Services, Lesley Griffiths, to focus above all on delivery.
“In particular, the improvements in stroke care are considerable, with every health board delivering fast access to thrombolysis – clot-busting drugs which improve survival rates – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Royal College of Physicians has noted NHS Wales as the fastest improving system in the history of their audit on stroke services in the UK.
“Quality of care is improving, for example with the reductions in cases of C.difficile, where prevalence rates are lower than many European countries.
“NHS staff have also made progress in reducing orthopaedic waits, cutting over 5,500 from the long waiting list during the year.”

Mr Sissling said more work needed to be done to eliminate all instances of long waiting, and the NHS should look at treatments which offered limited benefit.

“Some conditions, such as back pain or knee injuries, may be best treated by physiotherapy rather than surgery.
“And orthopaedic patients who are obese or overweight may not get the best outcomes for, say, a hip replacement as there is an increased risk of them being readmitted to hospital – it may be best for a weight loss programme to be prescribed instead.”

Mr Sissling also said that further major improvements were needed if the NHS was to meet the challenges set out in its five-year plan, Together for Health, and fulfil the Bevan Commission’s ambition of services ‘best suited to Wales but comparable with the best anywhere’.

“The fact that the NHS has reduced hospital admissions for major chronic conditions through better provision of treatment closer to people’s homes, reducing the need for in-patient hospital care, is among the factors driving change.
“My report shows that we need to modernise our services in order to better reflect the changing picture of health needs in Wales.
“Over the next few months, health boards will be consulting on plans to improve their services and I encourage communities across Wales to get involved and express their views.”