Skates highlights headache of missed GP appointments

* Ken Skates MS with GP Gareth Bowdler (centre) and staff at Dee Valley Medical Centre in Overton. 

Thousands of local GP hours are being lost because of patients not turning up to appointments, says a Member of the Senedd. 

Llangollen Health Centre and its branch clinic in Glyn Ceiriog have had a total of 1,503 DNAs - did not attends in the past year.

Clwyd South MS Ken Skates found that at least 13,000 slots were missed at surgeries across his constituency between April 2023 and March this year. 

Local surgeries provided details of their ‘DNAs’ – did not attend – to Mr Skates, who is now urging people not to waste GPs’ precious time. 

“Of course, sometimes people will genuinely forget or something might come up at the last minute, but when people just can’t be bothered to turn up to appointments it has consequences for staff and other patients,” said Mr Skates. 

“Then there’s the cost of DNAs – missed appointments cost the Welsh NHS millions every year.” 

Caritas Surgery. which has branches in Cefn Mawr and Coedpoeth, was worst hit – with 3,332 DNAs over 11 months. Dee Valley Medical Centre in Overton had 1,756 over the same period, while Llangollen Health Centre and its branch clinic in Glyn Ceiriog recorded 1,503.

Ruabon Medical Centre was also badly affected, recording at least 2,930 DNAs over the 11-month period according to the surgery’s published data, while Chirk Surgery suffered 1,631 missed slots.

Mr Skates said: “If we take the average appointment as being 15 minutes, we are talking thousands of hours lost in Clwyd South. Those are hours that GP and primary care staff won’t get back where they could be helping other people. 

“Sometimes practices will write to those who don’t attend advising them of the impact it has on the surgery and its staff, but that costs more time and more money.” 

He added: “I highlighted this issue about 10 years ago, but sadly the problem appears to have got even worse. It’s a huge drain on resources.”

Mr Skates was able to get data for around half of the surgeries in his constituency. As a number do not publish their DNA information, the true number of missed appointments will be much higher. 

Of those which supplied or publish the information, Beech Avenue Medical Practice in Rhos had at least 1,379 missed appointments and Uwchaled Medical Practice in Corwen recorded 520 DNAs.

One practice manager said: “DNAs are an increasing problem, our rates have never been so high. It’s frustrating that we can’t take any real action against those who repeatedly do not attend.” 

The business manager of another surgery added: “We do have a protocol to write to offenders advising them of the impact of DNA, but it is not necessarily effective and of course it’s another task to have to find time for.” 

Ffion Johnstone, BCUHB’s Lead for Primary Care, said: “Missing an appointment wastes the time of hard-working GP surgery staff and deprives other patients of an opportunity to be seen, leading to longer waiting times. 

“At a time when resources are being stretched to meet record levels of demand in primary care, the significant number of missed appointments is something that our health service simply cannot afford. We urge patients to make every effort to attend their planned appointment and to let their GP surgery know if this is no longer possible.”

Town council elects new mayor and deputy

* New mayor - Cllr Aled Morris.

Llangollen Town Council has announced the election of Councillor Aled Morris as the new Town Mayor. 

Councillor Morris has been an active member of the council and has championed numerous causes aimed at improving the quality of life for residents. 

His election as mayor is seen as a testament to his commitment to public service and his vision for a progressive and inclusive community.

He said: "I am deeply honoured to have been elected as Town Mayor and I look forward to working closely with my colleagues on the council, as well as with our wonderful residents, to address the challenges we face and to seize the opportunities ahead. Together, we can make Llangollen an even better place to live, work, and visit."

Cllr Morris will be supported by Councillor Damon Richards-Gwilliam, who has been appointed as Deputy Town Mayor.

* New deputy mayor - Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam.

It's a landmark moment for the Town Council as he is the youngest person ever to hold such a post and is said to bring a unique perspective and a dynamic approach which will greatly benefit the council and the town as a whole.

 

Cllr Richards-Gwilliam said: "I am thrilled to take on this new role and to support Councillor Morris in his vision for our town. This is a significant milestone, not just for me personally, but for all young people in our community. It shows that age is no barrier to making a meaningful impact."

 

Town clerk Gareth Thomas said: "The Town Council is confident that the combined leadership of Councillor Morris and Councillor Richards-Gwilliam will usher in a period of positive transformation ensure that the voices of all residents are heard and valued."

Llan schools benefit from 'national treasure' music cooperative

* North Wales Music Co-operative: Cllr Mark Young, Cllr Gill German, Paul Mealor, Tom Barham and Heather Powell at the opening of the new Denbigh base. Pictures by Mandy Jones.

Schools in Llangollen are benefitting from a pioneering music service hailed as a "national treasure" by a royal composer. 

The North Wales Music Cooperative teaches 5,000 children from every school in Denbighshire and Wrexham every week.  

According to its patron Professor Paul Mealor, the spectacular success of the cooperative is all the more remarkable because it was formed nine years ago in the aftermath of a financial crisis that saw funding for peripatetic music teachers being axed.

Prof Mealor, the new artistic director of the North Wales International Music Festival in St Asaph who was appointed by the King as a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order after writing music for the Coronation, was speaking during a special celebration at the award-winning cooperative.

The organisation, which runs two sister coops in Denbighshire and Wrexham, has now been able to buy its base in Denbigh thanks to grants from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, via Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council, and other partners.

They work with pupils from more than 100 primary schools and 18 high schools in the two counties while providing work for 70 freelance music tutors who are also members of the cooperative.

The celebrations will continue at two concerts featuring young musicians from Denbighshire and Wrexham, the first at Ysgol Glan Clwyd in St Asaph on Monday, July 1, and the second at the Stiwt theatre in Rhos on Monday, July 15.

Prof Mealor, who first won worldwide acclaim after he composed the motet Ubi caritas, sung at the Westminster Abbey Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, believes that buying the building is a huge step forward.

He said: “Before this organisation was formed, we were at a precipice where music could have died in schools for children from my background. Only the very rich could have afforded it but this group particularly has made sure that that isn’t the case and that’s benefited so many children and young people in North Wales.

“But we couldn’t do it without everybody who’s funding us from the councils in Wrexham and Denbighshire, Welsh Government, and Levelling Up money from the UK Government.

“Music opens up a world to people that they wouldn’t have known about, a world that’ll live with them for the rest of their lives and I’m incredibly proud to be the patron of this wonderful organisation that is now a real national treasure.”

The cooperative was founded in Denbighshire nine years ago by Head of Service Heather Powell who was one of the music tutors made redundant due to the budget cuts and subsequently it expanded into Wrexham in 2018.

When the pandemic struck, the organisation revamped the service “pushed the boundaries of technology” to provide online lessons and as a result was honoured at the prestigious Social Business Wales Awards.

Heather Powell said: “Thanks to levelling up monies and support from Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council, we now own the building, which is fantastic.

“This is a huge step in the evolution and growth of the organisation. It gives us sustainability and strength because now we own the building, we’re able to do a lot more with it.

“We’ve got all the community groups, choirs, ensembles, things like that accessing the building, and we’ve also got 70 members now who use the building for rehearsals, a harp group, a percussion ensemble and various children’s ensembles here as well so there’s a buzz here. There’s always something going on.

“We cover every school in Denbighshire and every school in Wrexham where we run lessons and whole class activities, ensembles, choirs, orchestras, bands, so on an average week, probably 5,000 people access the service.

“Music is incredibly important for wellbeing and we work to make sure that every child who has an interest in some way or another can access our service.

“It’s also a scientific fact that music improves literacy, numeracy, language skills. It’s all part and parcel. The new curriculum in Wales is steeped in music.

She added: “We are very lucky to have Paul as our patron because he’s a great talent who needs to be celebrated in Wales. We’ve got a lot of young composers in our music cooperative who can look up to people like Paul and learn a lot from what he’s done and what he’s achieved. He’s a real inspiration.”

According to the cooperative’s Chair, Cllr Mark Young, buying the building meant the organisation was well placed to continue to grow and expand the service in other areas.

He said: “This provides a launchpad for the future of the cooperative. We’ve got the template and this head office now can be the hub of the management of that to make it affordable for children and their families. Everyone now has upskilled to deliver that music for the future.

“The amount of pupils accessing music because of the high quality lessons, is going up.  And every level of talent gets looked after.  We don’t leave anyone behind – it’s totally inclusive.

“We’re reaching more and more pupils and I’m pretty sure more and more local authorities will take up the model and we’re here, willing and able to help with that and I’m very proud to be the Chair.”

Cllr Gill German, Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families at Denbighshire County Council, is also a big fan of the organisation.

She said: “We’re particularly pleased to work with them on the roll out of the National Music Service, which is a Welsh Government initiative.

“It’s very valuable to reach out to children who might otherwise not have access to playing a musical instrument and they’ve been doing a great job rolling that programme out across Denbighshire.

“Music enriches the soul and wellbeing as well as having academic benefits. Music is a touchstone that can take you through life as a source of joy. The value is enormous.”

General election called for July 4

Prime Minister calls general election for July 4.

Town council decides against taking over Market Street toilets

* The public toilets in Market Street.

Llangollen Town Council has decided not to pursue the transfer of the town's existing public toilets in  from Denbighshire County Council. 

After thorough deliberation by the full Council at their meeting last night (Tuesday) it was resolved that neither taking ownership nor covering the full cost of Denbighshire County Council running and maintaining the public toilets would be feasible for the Town Council.

Un a statement town clerk Gareth Thomas says the decision was based on financial projections indicating "substantial losses" associated with the operation and maintenance of the facilities. 

If these projected losses had been added to the Town Council’s budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, it would necessitate a minimum precept increase of 57%, translating to an additional £45.26 per household. 

"Such an increase would place an undue financial burden on the residents of Llangollen," councillors concluded. 

The statement adds: "Denbighshire County Council has indicated that should the Town Council agree to the transfer, significant further expenditure would be required to upgrade the facilities to meet modern-day standards. This additional financial commitment would exacerbate the fiscal strain on the Town Council and its residents.

"The Town Council acknowledges the importance of public toilet facilities for both residents and visitors to Llangollen. However, the financial implications of taking on the full cost and responsibility of these facilities would compromise the Town Council's ability to fund other essential services and initiatives that benefit the community.

"Llangollen Town Council remains committed to working collaboratively with Denbighshire County Council to explore alternative solutions that ensure the continued availability and upkeep of public toilets in the town without imposing unsustainable costs on the local population."

Upgrade work on town gas network completed on time, says supplier

Work to upgrade the gas network in the Bache Mill Road area of Llangollen has finished on time.

Gas emergency and pipeline service Wales & West Utilities has finished the £400,000 work, which it says was essential to keep the gas flowing safely and reliably to local homes and businesses, keeping people warm for generations to come.

To plan the work Wales & West Utilities liaised with Denbighshire County Council and it was agreed that traffic management would be in place whilst work was ongoing.

Wales & West Utilities Adam Smith managed the work and said: "We are pleased to complete this work on time and would like to thank the local community for their cooperation.

"While most of the gas network is underground and out of sight, it plays a central role in the daily lives of people across Llangollen, and the wider area. Whether it’s heating your home, making the family dinner or having a hot bath, we understand how important it is for your gas supply to be safe and reliable and there when you need it.

"This work was essential to keep the gas flowing to local homes and businesses today, and to make sure the gas network is ready to transport hydrogen and biomethane, so we can all play our part in a green future."

* If you smell gas, or suspect the presence of carbon monoxide, call us on 0800 111 999 straight away, and our engineers will be there to help any time of day or night.

Collen Players back on stage for music hall and variety show

The Collen Players are heading back on stage. 

The popular Llangollen-based old time music hall and variety group are promising a "marvellous evening of melodious merriment and vivacious variety" at St Collen's Community Hall on Friday July 19, starting at 6.30pm.

They say: "Immerse yourself in an opulent odyssey of entertainment and enchantment and prepare for a dazzling display of dramatic delights, where every act astounds and every performance is pure perfection. Secure your seat for an unforgettable night of theatrical thrills and musical magic."

* Tickets, at £15 including a buffet supper, will be on sale soon.