Ambulance service under pressure from 999 time-wasters

The Welsh Ambulance Service and Emergency Departments (ED) across Wales are coming under sustained and unusual pressure this summer due to inappropriate 999 calls, Wales’ Acting Chief Medical Officer and the Medical Director of NHS Wales, Dr Chris Jones, has warned.

A combination of increased 999 call volumes and a rise in attendances at Emergency Departments has caused increased pressure over the past few weeks.

The NHS in Wales has released details of a number of inappropriate calls made to the 999 ambulance service in recent months.
They include:

• A Woman who dialled 999 after being bitten on the finger by a hamster;
• Two separate 999 calls recently for males with hangovers following a night out;
• Afternoon calls where patients have injured themselves the night before but didn't feel it at the time as they were under the influence of alcohol. As the alcohol has worn off they found themselves in pain so dialled 999;
• A woman phoned 999 saying she had a bad hand wound and was bleeding badly. A 999 ambulance crew arrived to find she'd had a minor scratch on the hand by her cat and was worried it might get infected;
• A man had been to the GP in the morning and had been given ointment to rub on his back. He later phoned 999 and said he had a back problem. A crew turned up and he answered the door. Crew asked 'we thought you had a back problem?', to which the man replied 'I have. I haven't got anyone to rub this ointment on my back!'
• A crew responded to a member of the public who said he was ill with stomach pains at pub in the centre of Cardiff. The crew conveyed him to UHW only for him to jump out at A&E and say 'thanks for the lift mate' and he ran off never to be seen again!

Dr Chris Jones explained that not everyone attending emergency departments or calling 999 are emergencies.
He said:

“ We are seeing a growing number of inappropriate emergency calls to the Ambulance service. A 999 call should only be made in the event of a serious medical emergency, such as when life is in immediate danger. All emergency health services are very busy and patients should only attend Emergency Departments (A&E) if they are very badly hurt or if they become very seriously ill.
“Patients have a role to play in helping ease this current pressure on emergency services by Choosing Well. This ensures patients will get the best treatment, and allows busy emergency NHS services to help the people who need them most.
"I'd urge people who need NHS care and are unaware of which service to access to consider using other services, such as NHS Direct Wales, by downloading the new, free Choose Well app for the iPhone, contacting GP out-of-hours services or visiting local pharmacies to self care at home."

Group seeks answers over Llan health shake-up

* Mike Edwards

llanblogger exclusive

Community group Keep Llangollen Special have called for a meeting with local health chiefs to seek answers to a number of vital questions surrounding the proposed closure of the Cottage Hospital and its replacement with a new health centre.

Group chair Mike Edwards has issued the following statement, which llanblogger bring you here, unedited:     

As Chair of Keep Llangollen Special a constructive Community Group I would like to

comment on recent speculative comments about the proposals recently published by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in relation to rationalisation of their services across the whole of their area.

Firstly this document takes quite a bit of absorbing because it extends to 139 pages

covering the Authority wide revised service delivery proposals and only outlines in specific sections how those revisions affect Llangollen.

Therefore before taking a definitive view on these proposals the Group consider they need further information and we have requested a meeting with representatives from BCUHB to find out what exactly is proposed and the timing of these proposals.

We also propose to meet with relevant local stakeholders to confirm that they have been properly consulted and what their views are on the proposals.

We are also speaking with our democratically elected representatives particularly Ken Skates AM, Councillors Rhys Hughes, Stuart Davies and Phil Thane, the latter being a member of Keep Llangollen Special.

I wish to make it clear that Mr. Skates has been helpful in seeking information and clarification from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board which has enabled us to discover:

1. The Llangollen Community Hospital is likely to close early in 2013 and the Health

Board propose to sell the property;

2. Their Home Enhanced Care Scheme is already apparently progressing well and

BCUHB envisage all health services will ultimately delivered from a new Primary Care Centre;

3. However the Health Board have to submit a full business case to Welsh Government to acquire the former Woodlands Hotel now referred to as Riverside Lodge where they propose to build the Primary Care Centre.

They will also need to obtain planning consent for the development;

4. This means that the Health Board envisage the new health centre would not be open until late 2014/early 2015;

5. The local GP practice would apparently prefer a hospital with beds, but the Health

Board have not been specific that the new centre would include such facilities and refer to in-patient care being provided in Chirk and/or in nursing homes (no locations defined):

The big concern with these proposals is that the Llangollen Community Hospital is likely to close very soon, but the replacement Primary Care Centre will not open until 2015 without allowing for delays in BCUHB's scheme.

It is also of great concern that the Health Board­ seem not to wish to include in-patient facilities which will lead to Llangollen residents (patients and relatives) having to travel out of town to Chirk, Wrexham or wherever.

There is also a fear that services will be lost in the two year period between

closure of the existing hospital and opening of the new Health Centre.

The current Health Centre in Regent Street is conveniently located in the centre of town enabling able bodied patients to walk to see their GP, be it from the A5 or Abbey Road side of town.

Location of a centre at the Riverside Lodge will fail Welsh Governments Planning

Policies in relation to sustainability because it will increase vehicle journeys being located on the edge of the built up area on a busy main road with either narrow or no pavements making it extremely difficult for patients to visit.

If the Health Boards Scheme goes ahead we need assurances that capital receipts from the sale of the hospital and Oakleigh will be re-invested in Llangollen and that these sites will be developed for users which are acceptably to the Community. There will also be a question as to what happens to the existing health centre after the GP Practice moves out and that there are no knock on loss of facilities out of the town centre such as Pharmacy, Dentistry which the Health Board mention may be relocated to the new "Out-of-Town” Primary Care Centre.

These proposals could further endanger the vitality and viability of the existing town centre.

There are many questions to be answered and it is hoped that a forthcoming public

consultation by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board will provide Llangollen

residents with acceptable answers. Keep Llangollen Special will keep residents informed as further information is provided and our questions are answered. 

Mike Edwards

Chair Keep Llangollen Special

The full BCUHB report can be seen at: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/861/opendoc/194480

Llangollen Cottage Hospital is referred to on pages 41 and 42.

BBC broadcasts live from Ysgol Dinas Bran

BBC Breakfast News was broadcasting live from Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llan this morning as the A Level results were announced.

The reporter stopped one young man as he came into shot and asked him if he was prepared to open his results envelope live on air.

The student, named Chris, seemed a little stunned but agreed to it.

When he tore open the envelope he seemed pleased with what he had achieved and declared they were “good”.

Headteacher Alison Duffy was then interviewed and described the school’s’ results as “absolutely wonderful”.

She said exam boards had this year made this year’s A Level papers harder but that Dinas Bran students had risen to the challenge and done a “fantastic” job.

She added that she and fellow staff members had been talking to parents about the results and looking at different options for what students could do with them.

Student Chris said that with his good set of results he might head for a place at Aberystwyth University.

Railway hails successful Thomas the Tank events

                                * Thomas the Tank events at Llan Railway were a success
                                                     despite other diversions.

Llangollen Railway says last week’s Thomas the Tank events it hosted were a success, despite people staying at home to watch the Olympics on TV and a weather forecast that didn’t predict much sun. 

Railway spokesman George Jones told llanblogger: “Our considered opinion is that it was a successful six days for the Day Out With Thomas event but not a record breaker in terms of attendance at Llangollen.

“It was notable that the attendance was generally from within our normal 50-mile radius catchment area with relatively few from further afield in England as we might expect in August.

“Overseas visitors were noted from Holland, Spain, France, China (Shanghai) and a Japanese family living in Germany - again less than usual at this time of year, although visitors from other European countries and North America, Australia and New Zealand were noted on other days.”

He added: “It is thought a combination of the Olympics, (was everyone supposedly watching TV?) the weather forecast (not necessarily accurate for North East Wales) and perceived lack of spending money may have impacted on the number of visitors.

“One hopes the post-Olympic period will reverse some of this trend but a journey around North West Wales last week seemed to confirm a generally depressed summer trade.”

Building on the success of last Friday when 150 Americans stopped off at the station when their cruise ship, the Carribean Princess, docked in Liverpool, the Railway welcomes a similar group of tourists tomorrow (Friday).

At around 1pm, 135 people from the Intercruises ship “Prinsendam” will arrive at the station to enjoy a trip along the line to Carrog.

This Saturday (August 18) the Railway is hosting  a special event called “Murder at the Speakeasy”.

When the joint’s popular singing star is found murdered in her dressing room things take a nasty turn for everyone present – and that includes the audience.It starts at 7pm and food is served on platform 1 at 7.15pm.

Themed dress optional and there’s a chance to win a bottle of wine for the best outfit.Tickets are £26 per person and includes food and a return journey.

Book on line at https://sales.webticketmanager.com/llangollenrailway - no booking fee for online bookings – or telephone 01978 860979. There is a £2.50 booking fee for telephone sales.

Firm's Olympic contribution praised

* Ifor Williams trailers were used at London 2012.

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates has congratulated local firm Ifor Williams Trailers - where a number of Llan people work - for their pivotal role in making the London Olympics a roaring success.

The company’s trailers, which were used throughout the Olympic venues, proved to be invaluable and without them, the events simply could not have taken place.

Mr Skates said: “I want to congratulate Ifor Williams Trailers on their first rate performance at the London Olympics.

“Their products played an essential role in making the Olympics a success and the company and its staff should be justifiably proud of their hard work.

“As is so often the case, the magnificent spectacle that we see simply would not have been possible without the hard work of so many people behind the scenes.

“Ifor Williams Trailers’ dedicated team deserve a big pat on the back for their role in making the London Olympics a success.

“I’m sure everyone involved is extremely proud to be part of such a momentous occasion, and to fly the flag for Wales.”

In all, more than 150 of the company's trailers were used directly during London 2012, and 40 flatbed trailers were used to transport materials and props during Danny Boyle's spectacular opening ceremony. The firm's trailers were also used during the closing ceremony.

Ten of their employees attended the technical rehearsal at the invitation of the organising committee of the London Olympic Games the night before the opening ceremony. As well as being impressed to see so many of our trailers, they were "blown away" by the show.

Witnesses sought to burglary

Detectives are looking for the public to help them following a burglary in Hand Terrace, Chirk earlier this morning (Wednesday 15^th August).

Shortly after 3am a man disturbed an intruder in his home resulting in him sustaining a minor injury to his leg. The victim, a local man in his 50’s, received hospital treatment, but was later released.

The intruder described as a male approximately 5ft 10 tall, of slim build and wearing dark clothing made off with a toshiba laptop and a small amount of cash.

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Clare Foreman of Wrexham CID said:  “We would like to hear from anyone who was out and about in Chirk during the early hours of this morning and saw any suspicious person or activity to contact with us on North Wales Police 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Protest group responds to AM's health service statement

Llangollen Protest, the campaign group which opposes the closure of Llan Cottage Hospital, has issued its official response to a statement on the issue from Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates, published earlier today by llanblogger. 

Unedited, it reads: 

“I'm at a loss to understand Mr Skate's claim to be representing the community's views to Betsi Cadwaladr.

“At the public meeting, although he was not invited to speak, it was by very definition, public, and he had the same right of entry as everyone else.

“Had he attended, he would have been left in no doubt whatsoever what the residents' views are.

“Perhaps he would be good enough to cease negotiating with Betsi Cadwaladr until the results of the referendum are in, and then there can be no doubts.

“I am also concerned at his insistence on diminishing the importance of the Powys Fadog project as merely a Martial Arts centre.

“Perhaps he should read about the project or speak with Pol Wong before writing Constituency Updates which display so little understanding of the facts.

“I am greatly alarmed, in fact, that he should write such blatantly misleading and undeniably incorrect statements as "a damning report recently condemning the previous idea of converting it into a Shaolin martial arts centre".

“There is no such report. In fact, the idea itself, which Mr Skates disparages, has never met with anything but high praise.

“Indeed, who would, or could, condemn the idea of a community hub with childcare facilities, social facilities, Welsh language tutelage as well as proven benefits in youth training, among other good intentions?

“In the recent past, Mr Skates has also claimed to have negotiated with Sainsbury's on behalf of the community - once again without consulting a single person first.

“I would ask Mr Skates to kindly cease and desist trying to obtain benefits for the community, at least until we've found out what his idea of benefits are and whether we, the residents, would actually consider them to be of benefit to us.

“Mr Skates must be sharply reminded that he is a representative, not a delegate.”

Llangollen Protest