Hospital closure referred to older people's czar

Campaigners have condemned a “reckless” hospital closure which they say will endanger patients’ lives in the Llangollen area.

The group fighting to retain hospital beds and improve health services in Llangollen and the Dee Valley are so concerned about the situation that they have called on the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales to hold an investigation into the Health Board’s decision to close Llangollen Hospital.

They say that they fear for the well-being of elderly patients in the area.

Keep Llangollen Health Services have contacted the office of Sarah Rochira, the Commissioner for Older People, urging her to look into the “reckless” decision by the health Board.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, of Keep Llangollen Health Services said: “I recently spoke to a care home professional who said that it was his opinion that the closure of Llangollen Hospital would endanger people's lives.

“He explained that elderly people who needed medical care had no issues with going to a Cottage Hospital, but were reluctant to go to general hospitals because of the risks of contracting hospital-acquired infections, such as C-difficile and MRSA.

“Unfortunately his concerns stack up.”

Mabon ap Gwynfor referred to a paper published in the British Medical Journal, which is quoted by the respected Dr Fosters Hospital Guide, which says “Risks (such as hospital acquired infections) are discernible when average bed occupancy rates exceed about 85%”.

"Last year both Wrexham Maelor and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd had bed occupancy levels reaching 87%.

“The NHS is at crisis point in Wales with A&E in meltdown, ambulances queuing 10 deep, and bed-blocking because there aren’t enough community beds available. The Health Board have compounded this with their reckless decision to close Llangollen Hospital with the loss of 18 beds.

“Elderly and vulnerable patients are especially put at risk because of the closure of the hospital. That is why we have called on the Commissioner for Older people to hold an inquiry into the health Board’s decision.”

The Campaign group are urging people to share their stories with them by emailing keepllanhealthservices@gmail.com

llanblogger's taking a short break

Dear readers,

llanblogger is taking a short break for the next few days.

But we'll be back as usual from next Saturday posting all the best in news and views from Llangollen and the surrounding areas.

See you soon ...

KLS chair attends special event in Fron

Mike Edwards, chair of Keep Llangollen, has this special report of the event he attended recently over in Fron ...

I attended a visit and learning event at Pontcysyllte Aqueduct last Friday organised by the Federation of Small Businesses.

It was an informative session initially consisting of a presentation by officers of Wrexham County Borough at the Visitor Centre at Trevor Basin.

The party of 25 people mainly members of the FSB then strolled over the aqueduct on a pleasant sunny evening to the Fron Basin.

Here we visited the Fron Tea Rooms where a traditional tea of sandwiches and cakes was served.

Later we boarded a canal barge to travel back over the aqueduct with an amusing and informative commentary from Peter Jones (Jones the Boats).

Wrexham Council are strongly promoting the World Heritage Site (WHS) and other visitor attractions in the County Borough as part of their Destination Wrexham.

Following a question I posed an assurance was given that Wrexham Council were co-operating fully with Denbighshire and Shropshire Councils in relation to marketing the 11-mile long WHS Buffer Zone which stretches from Chirk to the Horseshoe Falls above Llangollen.

Members of the FSB expressed concern that the WHS was not sign-posted prominently, particularly from the A483.

It was revealed that there were complications about agreeing the signage with Local Authorities and the Highways Agency.

One member strongly criticised the Authorities for failing to come up with signage four years after World Heritage Status was granted to Pontcysyllte and Llangollen Canal.

As Chair of KLS I have arranged to meet with the FSB to ascertain what benefits they are able to small businesses in Llangollen.

Mike Edwards

Councils team up to launch sport kite mark scheme

Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham Sport Development Units & Glyndwr University have joined forces to launch the Supporting Volunteers Kite Mark to recognise community sports organisations that are committed to supporting and developing their volunteers.

The Supporting Volunteers Kite Mark has been developed by the Sport Wales Regional Coach and Volunteer Development Team to promote good practice in the recruitment, training, deployment and retention of coaches and volunteers.

Signing-up to working towards the Kite Mark, will have a number of benefits for community clubs and sport organisations including free Sport Coach UK training, wider access to and support in recruiting and developing volunteers and advice and guidance from the local authority Sport Development Team.

The Kite Mark has been designed to be accessible to all sporting organisations, bearing no cost implications for a club.  It will offer a chance for some clubs to gain recognition for the work which they already do while for other clubs it will be a chance to develop volunteer support structures by working towards achieving the mark.

Speaking about the launch of the Supporting Volunteers Kite Mark, Sport Flintshire Coach and Volunteer Coordinator Gareth Hayes said:
“Volunteers are the life blood of community sport and the launch of this Kite Mark signifies Sport Wales and the local authorities’ commitment to supporting community sport organisations in providing a positive and worthwhile volunteer experience that will contribute to a lifelong involvement as a sports volunteer.”

Sport Wales North Wales Regional Manager, Graham Williams added:
“The Supporting Volunteers Kite Mark is the first of its kind in Wales and I am sure will provide huge benefits to local sports clubs and their volunteers across Flintshire, Wrexham and Denbighshire. 

“Volunteers are key to ensuring that every child in Wales has the opportunity to become hooked on sport for life.  It is therefore encouraging to see partners coming together in this way to launch a scheme that will benefit those wanting to volunteer within their local community.  We hope that this launch will inspire others to adopt a similar approach across the country.”

For further information regarding the Supporting your Coaches Kite Mark, please contact your local Coach and Volunteer Coordinator. Please find details below:

Flintshire - Gareth Hayes:  gareth.m.hayes@flintshire.gov.uk  (01352) 702465
Denbighshire - Matthew Hilliker:  matthew.hilliker@denbighshire.gov.uk  (01824) 712700
Wrexham - Thomas Robertson:   thomas.robertson@wrexham.gov.uk    (01978) 292088
 
For more information please contact Claire Nicholson at Sport Wales on 02920 338366.

Latest local roadworks

Latest roadworks in the area notified by Denbighshire County Council are:

Birch Hill, Llangollen, road closure until September 20 for water works by Welsh Water. 
A5, junction of B5103 TO Rhysgod Bends, Berwyn, temporary traffic lights from April 24-25 for tree cutting.

 

Safety checks on electrical goods

Denbighshire's County Council Public Protection Service recently secured funding from the Electrical Safety Council to undertake a project of monitoring the safety of the sale of electrical goods sold through second hand shops.  

The intention was to raise awareness amongst retailers selling second hand electrical goods and also to check only safe goods were being sold.

Trading Standards Officer inspected a number of second hand outlets across Denbighshire where they not only gave safety advice but also obtained electrical items for analysis at an independent test house.  Disappointingly, 18% of items tested failed to meet electrical safety requirements, with the majority of faults being in relation to the plug or the flexible cord.  Trading Standards are continuing to work with the proprietors of the businesses concerned to ensure no further unsafe products are offered for sale.

Trading Standards Officers are advising consumers to carry out visual checks before purchasing second hand electrical goods and if possible, to only purchase goods which have been tested for safety.  

Emlyn Jones, Public Protection Manager said “The items that failed the test could have been avoided if simple visual checks had been made.  We recommend that anybody purchasing second hand electrical goods give the item a basic visual inspection before purchase.  For example, look out for frayed or split wires, damage to the casing or plug and check if the plug pins are insulated”

Further advice concerning all electrical safety issues can be found on the Electrical Safety Councils website: www.esc.org.uk

Any member of the public who have concerns about the sale of second hand electrical goods should contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or 08454 05 05 for the Welsh language service.

The Electrical Safety Council is a UK Charity committed to reducing deaths and injuries caused by electrical accidents at home and at work.

Health chiefs promote measles jab

Public Health professionals are urging parents in North Wales to act quickly to vaccinate their children against measles. 

 

There are over 10,000 children who are not fully protected by the vaccine in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area and therefore at risk of contracting measles.

 

In 2012 we saw how quickly the disease can spread when over 60 people contracted measles during an outbreak starting in Porthmadog.  

 

Siobhan Jones Consultant in Public Health said: ‘‘Although the outbreak is at present affecting the Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot and Llanelli areas, it is likely to spread to other areas.  The likelihood that unvaccinated children across the country will come into contact with those already infected is high. It is vital that parents act now to ensure that their children are fully immunised with the MMR vaccine.

 

“The outbreak is particularly affecting children aged between 10 and 18 who missed doses of MMR at a younger age. Therefore Public Health Wales is urging parents to remember that it is not only younger children who need to be vaccinated urgently.   

 

"The MMR vaccine is recommended by the World Health Organization, UK Department of Health and Public Health Wales as the most effective and safe way to protect children against measles. It is never too late to catch up on missed doses."

  

Dr Sian Owen, paediatrician and lead immunisation doctor for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said: ‘‘Measles cannot be taken lightly because you can never tell who will go on to develop the more serious complications of pneumonia or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). MMR vaccination offers the only protection against these complications."

 

Public Health Wales and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is urging parents to work with health professionals and schools to ensure their children are vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella.  As children return to school after the Easter holidays, the opportunities for measles to spread increase - now is the time to vaccinate your children.