Make cancer a priority, say Welsh Conservatives

Welsh Conservatives have called on the Welsh Government to make cancer a priority and improve services and treatments for patients across Wales.

 

Summing up their Assembly Debate on the Cancer Delivery Plan this week, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood emphasised the need for Local Health Boards to publish their cancer delivery plans and ensure that cancer services are timely, person-centred and that people’s clinical and wider non-clinical needs, including access to financial advice and support, are met.

 

Mr Isherwood said: “As Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar AM (Clwyd West) stated, cancer is still the leading cause of death in Wales, and it must be a priority for Welsh Government and NHS, but the process is far from working well.

 

“It is not right that Wales has a higher proportion of people dying from cancer than the rest of the UK or that cancer survival rates in Wales are well below the European average.”

 

He added: “ As Janet Finch-Saunders AM (Aberconwy) stated, there has been a 70% improvement in cancer survival rates since 1992. One of those cancer survivors is one of my own daughters, who is now living a full and happy life, after having been diagnosed as a teenager. However, there are concerns about the implementation of the cancer delivery plan, especially with regard to early intervention, public awareness and inconsistency across Wales.”

 

Mr Isherwood also referred to the points raised in the debate by fellow North Wales AM Antoinette Sandbach AM.

 

He said: “Antoinette expressed alarm that more than 8,000 people are dying as a result of cancer in Wales every year and that cancer patients in England are five times more likely to have access to new cancer drugs than patients in Wales, while the NHS spends millions on free paracetamol, which is available for 20p at local supermarkets.”

 

Mr Isherwood welcomed the Health Minister’s statement that he will be supporting the motion and that he shares concerns over waiting times and publication of the LHB plans.

He added: “I hope that his words will now become proven actions, and that, in future, people - practitioners, patients and politicians - will all have full access to all of the information that they need and deserve.”

Latest roadworks information ...

Latest roadworks notified by Denbighshire County Council are:

A542 Horseeshoe Pass, June 17-26, temporary traffic lights to allow installation of anti-skid measures.

Outside former Jenny Jones pub, Abbey Road, Llangollen, until June 26, temporary traffic lights to facilitate scaffolding.

Birch Hill, Llangollen, until September 4, road closure to allow work by Welsh Water.

 

Road safety concerns raised over Post Office move

* The Castle Street./A5 junction.

A Llangollen resident has contacted a top roads official to raise concerns about road safety when the town’s Post Office switches from its present location to Stan’s supermarket next month.

Martin Crumpton wrote to Andy Stewart, route manager for North & Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent, which works on behalf of the Welsh Govrnment, to say: “On July 22, Llangollen's Post Office moves from Castle to the other side of the traffic lights on the A5, some 20-25m further.

“The three-way traffic lights are timed solely for cars and the junction is already hazardous for pedestrians.

“After the move, more elderly and people with poor mobility will need to cross the busy A5.

“Please investigate as a matter of urgency.”

Mr Stewart replied: “With regard to your enquiry about the traffic signal junction of the A5 Trunk Road and Castle Street, it would not be possible to introduce a pedestrian phase without causing significant delays to traffic on both the trunk and county roads both of which now exist at peak times. 

“Denbighshire CC have looked at providing a pedestrian crossing phase within the signal timings, however recent collision data does not highlight a pedestrian accident problem and this would be required to support changes.”

Mr Crumpton responded to him: “I have to say I am not only disappointed but deeply offended that there has to be a body count, or at least a significant number of A&E admissions with all their human costs, before such an obvious danger can be made safe.  

“Perhaps I’m naive in thinking that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Perhaps I just don’t feel I have the right to place a monetary value on a human life.”

Llan to benefit from major cycling event

* Wiggle Etape Cymru entrants will register for the event in Llangollen.

 

Up to 1,200 cyclists will be heading into Llangollen in early September to register for one of the largest events in their annual calendar.

 

Wiggle Etape Cymru will take place on Sunday , September 8, starting from Bangor on Dee Racecourse and travelling through parts of Wrexham County Borough before entering Denbighshire through the Dee Valley.
 

Cyclists will be travelling through the Llantysilio, Pentredwr, Horseshoe Pass, Bryneglwys, Llandegla and Graigfechan areas, before returning to Wrexham county and heading for the finishing line back at Bangor on Dee.
 

But to enable Llangollen to benefit directly from the event, local county councillor Stuart Davies has successfully campaigned to have the registration process take place at Llangollen Pavilion.
 

He said: “This means that up to 1,200 entrants plus their entourage will be coming to Llangollen to sign up on the Friday and Saturday.
 

“The plan is that hopefully they will stay in Llangollen for the weekend and also eat out and do some shopping here.”
 

Cllr Davies is also aiming to arrange at special event – perhaps a fun day with a range of entertainment - at the pavilion on the Saturday where local people and visitors can be entertained and also informed about the attractions on offer in Llangollen.
 

Local businesses are also being invited to participate at the Pavilion on the Saturday to showcase their offerings, all to be organised by Denbighshire County Council.
 

Cllr Davies said he will be visiting businesses next week with county council officer Vicki Shenton Morris to give further details.

Meanwhile, he can be contacted on 07967 313792, or by e-mail at stuart.a.davies@denbighshire.gov.uk

As a result of the cycling event, roads in the affected areas will be closed.

Organisers Human Race, as well as Denbighshire and Wrexham Councils, are thanking people in advance for their co-operation and understanding.
 

Residents and businesses along the route will receive more information in the coming weeks, including details of road closures and timings.
 

Further details will be advertised in the local press and on the council's website: www.denbighshire.gov.uk. 

It's Buy Local Day today

Keep Llangollen Special (KLS) has the latest of its Buy Local days today (Friday).

Shops in the town - indicated by a poster on the premises - will be offering discounts and special offers to local people.

"The idea is for Llangollen money to be spent in Llangollen supporting our excellent local businesses," said KLS chair Mike Edwards. 

Today's event brings the Buy Local campaign into its second successful year as the first day was staged in June, 2012.  

Two Llan schoolgirls to deliver Eisteddfod Peace Message

 

* Milly Orton-Jones, 11, left and Hannah Hughes, 10 at the Eisteddfod Pavilion in Llangollen. The girls are reading out the traditional Peace

Message on the first day of the festival.

Two talented schoolgirls have been given the honour of sending out the traditional Peace Message to the world from this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Since 1952, the young people of Llangollen have presented a Message of Peace and Goodwill from the stage of the Eisteddfod at concerts on the opening day.

At this year’s 67^th annual Eisteddfod, which runs from July 9-14, two versions of the Message, one in the Welsh language and the other in English, will be movingly read out at separate concert performances in the Llangollen Pavilion on Children’s Day, Tuesday, July 9.

Both orations, at 10.30am and 12.30pm, will have audiences of around 2,000 primary school youngsters from across north Wales, and be accompanied by specially composed background music from the National Orchestra of Wales.

The poignant Message, part of which tells how “peace radiates like rays of sunshine touching people’s hearts”, has been specially written for the occasion by two year six pupils from Llangollen’s primary schools. 

They are 11-year-old Millie Orton Jones from Ysgol Gwernant, who will read out the Message in the Welsh language, while the English translation will be proclaimed by 10-year-old Hannah Hughes from Ysgol Bryn Collen.

Mike Law, who is co-ordinator for outside stages at the Eisteddfod, said: “The original idea for this year’s Peace Message came after Llangollen Rotary Club held its own local version of a national Rotary competition, called Young Writer, which invited local children to pen a letter on the theme of peace.

“Millie and Hannah were the competition winners and it was agreed that their two separate entries – in Welsh and English – should be used in some way during the Peace Message concerts at the 2013 Eisteddfod.

“As the two pieces did not fit easily into the Peace Message format, the two girls were asked to write a second piece, specifically about Llangollen, the Eisteddfod and the theme of peace.

“The two pupils will read out their work live on stage as part of the Peace Message concerts.

“The National Orchestra of Wales will play specially chosen accompaniments as a background."

Millie Orton Jones, who will read out the Welsh language version, said: “I am looking forward very much to the concert and reading out the Peace Message which says how much the Eisteddfod means to the people of Llangollen.

“I have been a member of the Young ‘Uns, the local junior theatre group, for a few years and I am used to doing things in front of an audience so I don’t think I will be too nervous.

“I’m not worried about speaking the message in Welsh because I go to a Welsh medium school and am quite fluent in the language.” 

Millie’s mum, Tessa Orton Jones, said: “We are very proud of her for being chosen for this honour and she is very excited about appearing in the concert.

“Llangollen Pavilion is a big stage but I don’t think Millie is too nervous about reading out the Peace Message as she is a seasoned performer with local stage group.”  

Hannah Hughes, who will read the Peace Message in English, said: “I am very proud to have been chosen to read out the Peace Message.

“I have been in plays before at my school but never done anything in front of so many people as will be in the pavilion that day.

“I’m a little bit nervous I might get some of the words wrong but I’m sure we will be doing plenty of rehearsals before the concert to make sure we know the message as well as possible.” 

Hannah’s mum, Jane Hughes, said: “We are really proud of her because this is a fantastic achievement.

“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a girl who lives in Llangollen to put herself and her school at the front of the Peace Message.”

Mike added: “Later in the Peace Message concert, pupils from Ysgol Morgan Llwyd in Wrexham will work in song and music from prompts in the writing, plus there will be a new poem written specially for the occasion by Aled Lewis Evans.”

He added: “The two girls will be guests of the Eisteddfod and will be introduced to senior officials, including our President Terry Waites, and well-known visitors.

“They will be performing before an audience of approximately 2,000 children at each concert, and the centre-piece of the Peace Message is a musical story about space exploration played by the National Orchestra of Wales.

“Using work by young children carries on the old tradition of broadcasting Welsh language children’s messages to the world which goes back to the early 1920s.”

Mr Law explained this was the first time this particular format for the Peace Message concert had been used and said: “The whole concept is exciting and different and the opportunity it provides for these two young girls to perform before an audience of 2,000 is exceptional.”

Health centre "fatally flawed" says campaign group

 

* An artist's impression of the proposed new health centre.

 

Plans for a new £5.5m health centre in Llangollen are fatally flawed because they don’t include inpatient beds, campaigners say.

 

Keep Llangollen Health Services spokesman Mabon ap Gwynfor said the proposals promised a great deal but did not deliver on key elements for people living in the Vale of Llangollen.

 

He said: “Throughout the consultation period last year we called for beds to be retained in Llangollen and warned that there would be a downgrading of services if the health board’s plans went through.

 

"We also warned that Llangollen would be left without any services if the hospital was closed before home care and the health centre had been approved.

 

“It’s been nearly five months since they closed the hospital. Before closing they promised all sorts of things including a Home Enhanced Care Scheme and beds at local care homes, none of which have materialised. It’s not surprising that local people are sceptical about other promises being made by the health board.

 

“We want to see an improved local health service and that’s why we welcome, in principle, a health centre. But it needs to be safe and sustainable. The site under consideration is difficult to access for pedestrians from the town centre, especially for people with pushchairs, the elderly and disabled – precisely the people who need to use a health centre. It also lacks the one key element, which is hospital beds, which as we know is needed for this area."

 

He also expressed concern that the health board was rushing through the plans without the necessary checks and balances needed for such a large project.

 

Mabon ap Gwynfor said: “It’s important that the Health Board follows the standard procedures instead of trying to cut corners.” 

 

He also called for local representatives of patients to be represented on the stakeholder group during the development stages, adding: “Keep Llangollen Health Services were promised on numerous occasions that we would be invited but never were.

 

"The Health Board says that patients are represented by the Community Health Council, yet the CHC’s representative comes from Ruthin and not Llangollen or the Dee Valley. This shows complete contempt for the people of this area.”

* The full consultation document can be viewed via the Keep Llangollen Special website at http://en.keepllangollenspecial.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Llangollen-Health-Centre-Public-Consultation.pdf