Davies hits out over health board's turn-around plan

A LLANGOLLEN county council has branded as “idiotic” a plan by its interim chief executive to turn around the ailing Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in 100 days.

The board was recently placed in special measures by the Welsh Government amid concerns about management failings.

A report also condemned poor treatment of mental health patients at Glan Clwyd Hospital as "institutional abuse".

Simon Dean, deputy head of the NHS in Wales and the man appointed by the government to run the board after its chief executive Professor Trevor Purt was suspended, said last week that he had given seniors managers 100 days to start making improvements. 

But Cllr Stuart Davies (pictured right), who represents Llangollen on Denbighshire County Council, predicts the initiative is “doomed to fail” and says he will demand that Wales’s First Minister Carwyn Jones considers his position when it does.

Cllr Davies has also criticised the board for failing to go ahead with an arrangement for a representative to attend the full council meeting next Tuesday to allow members to raise questions about the current situation.

He said: “I am highly disappointed that the people in charge of the Betsi are not willing to come to our meetings to answer questions about their problems. Trevor Purt had promised to attend our July meeting.

“I am particularly concerned because I wanted to seriously question them on their widely promoted 100-day turn-around plan.

“I believe this is the most idiotic idea I have heard because it will take years to turn around the deep-seated culture that is now driving the Betsi.”

He added: “They are being their usual arrogant self in not wishing to engage with councillors.

“They say on one hand they want to engage and then turn down this opportunity.

“The whole project is doomed to failure in my opinion and it is all down to the Welsh Government who are doing their usual micro-managing bit.

“I will be calling on the First Minister to consider his position when this 100-day initiative fails.”

A spokesperson for the health board said: “Professor Purt wrote out to local authorities earlier in the year, seeking an opportunity to meet with them as part of a process of public engagement to support the development of the health board’s medium term plan.  

“The July date was offered by Denbighshire County Council for this.

“However, following the decision to place the health board into special measures status, the Health Minister issued clear direction that before carrying out any such discussion the health board is to carry out a widespread public listening exercise. 

“This exercise has now started, initially with a programme of public ‘drop in’ sessions in 15 locations across North Wales, and will continue over the coming months.  

“As a result of this the health board was no longer in a position to proceed with the meeting as proposed.” 

New health centre set to open on August 24

* The new health centre which is due to open on August 24. Picture: Mike Edwards.

Assembly Member Ken Skates has praised contractors building Llangollen’s new multi-million pound health centre for delivering "what looks certain to become a huge asset" to the town.

The Clwyd South Labour AM says it’s "extremely positive news" that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s newest facility will open on Monday August 24.

The state-of-the-art centre is being built by Brymbo-based Read Construction, which has won the praise of their AM as well as a raft of positive comments from residents and businesses in Llangollen.

Mr Skates said: “The contractors have done a fantastic job and built what looks certain to become a huge asset for Llangollen. It’s very impressive.

“The facility has taken shape rapidly over the past few months, and it’s important that something on a main route into the town like this looks good – and this certainly does.”

Mr Skates was told this week that services are scheduled to transfer to the new centre on August 24, and also welcomed the news an open day will be held for the public on July 30 to allow residents a sneak preview.

He added: “It is extremely positive news for Llangollen that Betsi Cadwaladr, local practice and Welsh Labour Government have worked together to create a modern healthcare facility fit for the 21st century and fit for the people who live here.”

Mr Skates is meeting Betsi chairman Dr Peter Higson and interim chief executive Simon Dean later this month after the Welsh Government moved to address concerns over its performance by placing the health board in special measures.

Mr Skates said: “As well as discussing my constituents’ concerns about the NHS in North Wales, I will be raising several other matters specific to Clwyd South which I am hoping for positive news on.

“The Llangollen facility will be massive for the town. It’s important we don’t just focus on what is needed now, but continue to build for the medium and long-term too.”

* The surgery has asked llanblogger to display the following notice:

NEW LLANGOLLEN HEALTH CENTRE OPEN AFTERNOON

Thursday 30 July 2015, 3 – 6 pm

Canolfan Iechyd Llangollen Health Centre
Bishops Walk
Llangollen
LL20 8RZ


Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Dr A D Evans & Partners are hosting an open afternoon at the new Health Centre situated next to Bishops Walk in Llangollen.  This will be an informal opportunity for people to familiarise themselves with the new building, and find out more about the services that it will offer, before it opens on 24 August.

If you require any further information please contact the Health Centre on 01978 860625.

* A note from local health campaigner Martin Crumpton ...

"The news broke yesterday (Thursday) that Betsi Cadwaladr has decided not to contest the Judicial Review brought about by campaigners fighting the closure of consultant-led maternity services at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, reported by the BBC at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-33367737.

 

Myself and fellow campaigners are celebrating and welcome the apparent change of heart at the Board. It marks the arrival of the new Chief Executive, Simon Dean and our meeting with him around a week ago, but discussions are on-going between us to ensure this apparent change of attitude at the top is permanent and in future we, the public, will have more say in matters affecting us all, such as bringing beds back to Llangollen, ensuring safe access to the new Health Centre and improved GP availability.

 

Thanks in particular go to Marsha Davis of the #savebetsibabies campaign and Mabon ap Gwynfor of the North Wales Health Alliance."

 

 

Finally ... it's goodbye to the A5 lights

* The signs might still be there but at last the A5 is free of traffic lights.

* The sight which greeted motorists for more than half a year.

AFTER causing misery for residents and tourists for almost seven months, the temporary traffic lights at roadworks on the main A5 leading into Llangollen have now gone.

The long-delay lights, which have led to many frustrated motorists “rat running” along Birch Hill and Maes Mawr Road to avoid hold-ups, were installed around Tyn y Wern on December 12 last year by the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent after movement and distress was detected in the carriageway.   

The agent said the closure ensured the safety of highway users and allowed investigations to be undertaken to identify the reasons for the movement and to provide information for the design of temporary repair works. 

Work to temporarily strengthen the retaining walls started on the June 1 but the lights have now been removed in time for the start of the International Eisteddfod next Monday.

The disruption caused by the work and the claimed lack of information about it to residents given by the agent have come under fire from local politicians on a number of occasions. 

* Reader Mike Edwards has sent us a copy of correspondence he's had with Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart, which deals with the town's other roadworks on the A5, outside the supermarket development site. 

It says: "We also committed to reopen the A5 at the food store development before the peak summer season.  Works affecting the A5 will be suspended for the week of the Eisteddfod with the road reopening on Friday 3 July. The signals will be reinstated on 13 July to allow for final surfacing works and will be removed by 17 July."

* However, it wasn't all plain sailing because throughout today (Thursday) there have been new - but shorter - temporary lights near the Tyn y Wern ...



 

 

* Sign of the times: The traffic light warning sign lies bedside the A5 this morning (Thursday).

ChildLine pioneer heads new victim help service

 

* From left, Deputy PCC Julian Sandham and PCC Winston Roddick

with staff of the new Victim Help Centre.

 

A WOMAN who worked on the original ChildLine founded by Esther Rantzen and went on to head the charity in Wales in now running a new service to help victims of crime.
 

The fully bilingual Victim Help Centre, established by the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick CB QC, went live on July 1 and aims to improve the way victims of crime are looked after in the region.
 

The centre creates a one stop shop for victims by bringing together the support services of North Wales Police, the Witness Care Unit of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the former Victim Support organisation.
 

Each victim will be given a response specifically tailored to their situation.
 

From its base at police headquarters in St Asaph the integrated service will cover the whole of North Wales.
 

Mr Roddick, along with his deputy Julian Sandham, paid a visit to the centre and described it as “a triumph for North Wales.”
 

In charge of the dozen staff and 30 outreach volunteers operating the service is Julie Elliott who joined the original Childline team in 1987 as a counsellor soon after it was set up by TV presenter Esther Ranzen  to provide a free confidential phone service on which young people could talk over issues such child abuse and bullying.
 

In 1994, Julie joined the staff of Childline Cymru when its North Wales base was in Rhyl and helped establish its bilingual service.
 

Eight years later she was appointed as director for the entire Wales organisation, taking control of 25 staff based at both the Rhyl and Swansea headquarters in South Wales along with about 300 volunteers throughout the country.
 

Julie recalled the early days with Childline and said: “I was privileged to work alongside Esther Rantzen for 25 years as part of the team.
 

“She is a very committed and professional person who is also very child centered.
 

“It was a masterstroke to set up the Childline service. All the experts told her it couldn’t be done but she proved them wrong.”
 

Julie believes that the new North Wales Victim Help Centre has much in common with Childline.
 

She explained: “They are both about helping and empowering the people who use the service and making a difference to their lives.
 

“Since the Police and Crime Commissioner announced his plan to open the centre earlier this year we have been busy getting everything ready for going live.
 

“We have 12 staff in the centre who have all been trained to the very highest standard to deal with any situation they might have to deal with from the victims who get in touch with us.       
 

“Outside the centre, we have a network of about 30 volunteers in communities across North Wales, which works as an outreach team.
 

“Where a person has been the victim of domestic violence, for instance, they can help with things such as moving them out of the home where the abuse has taken place.
 

“They can also give assistance with contacting employers and schools, writing letters, making insurance claims and claims for criminal injuries compensation.
 

“The six victim care officers based in the centre come from a range of previous jobs such as the education field and other care organisations and a number are criminology graduates.
 

“They have been training hard for the past six weeks and they just can’t wait to begin the service.”
 

One of victim care officers poised to offer help and advice is 22-year-old Jasmine Jones from Llanfair PG on Anglesey.
 

After obtaining her criminology degree from Bangor University she worked with Young Carers Gwynedd and sees her role at the centre as an exciting new challenge.
 

Jasmine said: “This is a really positive step in my career and I’m really looking forward to the job.
 

“We’ve all been training very hard and learning to handle every type of situation.
 

“I see my role as providing a sympathetic ear to victims and signposting them to the people can give them the most appropriate help.
 

“It’s fantastic to be part of such an important new service which is a first for North Wales.” 
 

After touring the centre and meeting staff, Winston Roddick said: “It’s a real triumph for us to have established a victim centre of this kind and it starts from scratch.
 

“It’s a huge undertaking and has been a real challenge but meeting them I’ve seen the enthusiasm there is for it amongst its staff.
 

“And when you bring enthusiasm and understanding to a serious problem you solve it and that’s what they’re going to do.”
 

Mr Roddick added: “There are a lot of victims out there whose problems need care and attention of the kind that only a centre of this sort can provide.
 

“We are taking a huge step forward in demonstrating how concerned it is for the well-being of victims.
 

“We want them to feel confident that they can come forward and share their concerns and seek help because if they don’t do that then nobody can do anything for them.
 

“The experience our new manager Julie Elliott brings to the job from Childline is highly relevant because while adults can have difficulty in making complaints about the kind of matters to be dealt with in the centre, it’s more difficult to get children to articulate what’s happened to them.”
 

The new victim help service is available from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 9am-5pm on Saturdays.
 

* It can be contacted by Freephone on 0300 3030159, by email at: northwaleshelpcentre@victimsupport.org.uk, or via the websites www.victimhelpcentrenorthwales.org.uk (English) or www.canolfangymorthiddioddefwyrgogleddcymru.org.uk

 

Tennis club aims to rally new members

A Denbighshire sports club is aiming to capitalise on Wimbledon fever – and has enlisted the support of the local Assembly Member.

Corwen Tennis Club wants to net some new members during the next two weeks, when British eyes will be on 2013 champion Andy Murray at SW19.


Clwyd South AM Ken Skates is also hoping to be able to serve up some good news after asking Tennis Wales what help and support is available to help the club improve its facilities.

Paul Hughes, who recently took over as manager of the club, said: “Wimbledon is the ideal opportunity for us to try and recruit new members and I’m confident the performances of stars like Andy Murray will inspire people, particularly the younger generation.

“We’re going to have some fantastic weather during the next fortnight, so it’s the perfect time to dust off your old racket or give tennis a try for the first time.”

Labour AM Mr Skates, who is also the Welsh Government’s deputy minister for culture, tourism and sport, said: “Exercise and having an active lifestyle is a subject close to my heart, so I would love to see more people in Clwyd South take up tennis this summer.

"We might even have a future Wimbledon champion on our doorstep!

“I have written to Tennis Wales to see what support they can provide to help the club expand and upgrade its facilities, which in turn would help attract more members.”

Mr Skates visited the club on Friday (June 26) to meet Mr Hughes.

He added: “I would love to help the club grow and improve in any way I can, and will update Paul as soon as I have any news from Tennis Wales.”

AM backs fight against scammers

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood is backing a campaign aimed at preventing people being rushed into hasty decisions by scammers and to end victims being hushed into silence by a sense of shame, foolhardiness, or weary acceptance.

 

Scams Awareness Month 2015 (SAM15) will take place in July with the theme "Don't be Rushed, Don't be Hushed.”

 

Figures from the Office of Fair Trading suggest people in the UK lose £3.5 billion a year to scammers, with older people who fall prey to scammers losing an average £1,200 each.

 

Mr Isherwood (pictured left), who is already supporting Age Cymru’s ‘Scams and Swindles’ campaign to generate more protection for older and vulnerable people and their call for no-cold-calling zones, has previously called on the Welsh Government to tackle the inconsistent provision and enforcement of these zones across Wales to protect older people.

 

He said: “It is vital that we make people aware of the various scams out there which include fake lotteries, psychics and rogue builders.

 

“More than 100,000 people in the UK are known to be on the infamous postal scams “suckers’ lists” and the number may be far greater.

 

“At least 50,000 scams were committed against Welsh people in one recent 12-month period and many vulnerable people in Wales are still paying large amounts for shoddy or non-existent work to rogue traders. Hopefully this latest campaign will make people more aware and reduce the number of victims.”

 

Gerry Keighley from Age Cymru said: “Age Cymru is working hard to ensure that vulnerable older people are made aware of the threat of scams, especially people who may be isolated, lonely or live in remote communities. We are working with dementia sufferers and their carers to bring home the dangers of scams and we are equally concerned that younger people, especially family members and younger neighbours become more aware of the threat scammers pose to older people.”

 

Wynne's incomparable new Eisteddfod role

Top tenor Wynne Evans has landed an incomparable new role - singing alongside the world-renowned former royal harpist Catrin Finch.

Wynne – who shot to stardom as the waiter who belted out catchy jingles in the Go Compare TV ads (pictured) – will be taking to the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod stage for the third time in four years when the festival gets underway in July.

 

The multi-talented Carmarthen-born singer, TV and radio presenter will be performing on Wednesday, July 8, at an evening of music dedicated to The Sounds of South America that also features the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Catrin Finch will also be starring at the concert.

The concert will also see the world premiere of a new work to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the Welsh colony in Patagonia in South America.

 

The work has been written by composer Hector MacDonald, a fourth generation Welshman who comes from Chubut Province in Patagonia where descendants of the original settlers cling on to their Welsh identity.

 

Among the other highlights at this year's Eisteddfod will be the Thursday night concert when heart-throb tenor Alfie Boe will be joined on stage by Britain’s Got Talent star Jonathan Antoine.

Other big draws include Oscar-winning music legend Burt Bacharach, the immensely popular Canadian singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright and TV choirmaster Gareth Malone.

 

For the final concert, Ali Campbell, the voice of UB40 who sold 70 million records, who'll be reunited on the eisteddfod stage with two other founding members of the group, percussionist, trumpet player and vocalist Astro and keyboard player Mickey.

 

Wynne, who will also be presenting his BBC Radio Wales show from Llangollen during the week-long eisteddfod, says he always looks forward to performing at what he describes as a "wonderful festival of music".

He said: “Most performers only get to appear on the Llangollen stage once or maybe twice so for me to have been allowed on stage three times and in relatively quick succession is probably something of a record.

“Llangollen is such a fantastic event that welcomes all these different cultures from all over the world in a spirit of peace and harmony.

“It’s just an incredible event. I love seeing the different performers throughout the week and it isn’t just about classical music; lots of varied genres are represented.”

Wynne, who performed the role of Piangi in the 25^th anniversary performance of The Phantom of the Opera which was broadcast live to cinemas around the world from the Royal Albert Hall, added: “The festival is something special and should be cherished. People come from far and wide because of what it stands for.

“Where else could you see traditional Welsh dancers competing against folk dancers from around the world?

 “It’s about culture and styles and bringing it all together in a spirit of friendship. And it’s also wonderful seeing the whole town join in the festivities it isn’t just about what’s happening on the field.”

Wynne whose alter ego Gio Compario in the Go Compare ads was once voted Britain’s most hated man, is looking forward to hooking up with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Catrin Finch.

He said: “Catrin is a friend of mine and someone I’ve worked with her a lot over the years. And as well as being a friend she’s also one of the greatest harpists in the world, there’s no doubt about that.

“And I have toured with the BBC orchestra and we worked together at the Christmas concert. Of course I work with the BBC, both on screen and behind the radio microphone with my radio show, on a regular basis.”

Wynne, whose debut album, A Song in my Heart, shot straight to the top of the classical charts, added: “It should be a wonderful night of music.

“I’m going to performing some material composed by Karl Jenkins who, it has been announced, is to be knighted by Her Majesty the Queen.

“I’ll also be performing songs written by an Argentinian composer and some songs from West Side Story which has tenuous links to South America in that the characters were Puerto Rican.

“But it’s always good to perform some popular works that the audience will instantly recognise.”

The Eisteddfod's musical director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, is delighted Wynne Evans has agreed to perform again on the pavilion stage.

He said: “Wynne is a real supporter of the festival and it’s always a pleasure to welcome him back.

“He is without doubt one of the UK’s most popular and exciting tenors and I know how much the Llangollen audience likes to see and hear him perform.

“The Wednesday evening concert of South American inspired music, featuring Catrin Finch, Wynne Evans and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales promises to be a real highlight of this year’s festival and it’s a concert I’m really looking forward to.”

* To book tickets and for more details on the 2015 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk