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Wales Online
09-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Major Welsh health board issues A&E warning
Major Welsh health board issues A&E warning Significant pressure across the health care system is having an impact on waiting times at Wales' largest hospital The hospital are facing an increased amount of patients (Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE ) A busy Welsh hospital has asked the public to only attend the hospital's emergency unit if it is an emergency as they experience a high number of patients. The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board put a public plea out as the University Hospital of Wales remains very busy, resulting in longer waiting times for treatments. The pressure on the health care system across Wales has resulted in a high number of patients within the hospital as well as fewer people being discharged at the normal rate. The health board has asked the people of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan to check their symptoms via the NHS 111 website if they are unsure of them as the emergency unit sustains significant pressure. A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: "We are currently experiencing significant pressure across our healthcare system which is having an impact on waiting times in the Emergency Unit and patient flow through the hospital. "This pressure has been driven by a combination of factors, including a high number of people requiring hospital admission via ambulance and a lower-than-normal amount of people being discharged from hospital. Article continues below "We are working closely with colleagues and Health Board partners to ensure we can continue to provide safe and effective care to those who need us most. "We would continue to urge the public to think about the alternatives to the Emergency Unit if your condition does not require emergency care, including NHS 111 Wales and local Primary Care services. "The NHS 111 Wales website has a wealth of information on different health conditions, and a symptom checker to help patients make informed decisions. "You can also call 111 to access Barry Minor Injuries Unit, urgent care and Out-of-Hours. "Your Primary Care team in the community could also support. Each member of the primary care team has skills and expertise in different areas, enabling you to get the right support, from the right healthcare professional, first time. "Thank you for your patience and cooperation at this time." Article continues below
Wales Online
03-06-2025
- General
- Wales Online
'Funny and kind-hearted' teenage girl died in hospital after trying to take her own life
'Funny and kind-hearted' teenage girl died in hospital after trying to take her own life Sky Lewis had a history of mental health problems and self-harming, an inquest has heard Sky Lewis, who died aged 16 (Image: Michaela Fry ) A 'funny and kind-hearted' teenage girl who was moved from her family home to a care home took her own life, an inquest has heard. Sky Louise Lewis, who was born in Wolverhampton, moved to Newport and later Cardiff as a young girl with her mother. She attended Eastern High School in Cardiff and was studying for her GCSEs in 2019. During that period she moved to live in a care home in the Haverfordwest area of Pembrokeshire, having struggled with her mental health. A full inquest into her death, which got underway at County Hall in Haverfordwest on Tuesday, June 3, heard that Sky had a history of self-harming. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The senior coroner for Pembrokeshire, Gareth Lewis, was told that on one occasion Sky drank alcohol before going to school in Cardiff, with her mother only realising when the school contacted her to say her daughter had arrived drunk. Sky Lewis has left a 'space that cannot be filled', according to her mother (Image: Michaela Fry ) Article continues below On July 28, 2019, Sky tried to take her own life in the care home she had moved to. She was found and taken to hospital but her mother said medics told her on July 30 that her daughter was 'brain dead'. Sky passed away in hospital a day later, on July 31, 2019, aged 16. The inquest, which is expected to last up to three weeks, will hear evidence from different people representing different organisations including Hywel Dda University Health Board, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff Council, and Sky's family. Why we cover inquests – and why it's so important that we do As painful as these proceedings are for those who have lost a loved one the lessons that can be learned from inquests can go a long way to saving others' lives. The press has a legal right to attend inquests and has a responsibility to report on them as part of their duty to uphold the principle of open justice. It's a journalist's duty to make sure the public understands the reasons why someone has died and to make sure their deaths are not kept secret. An inquest report can also clear up any rumours or suspicion surrounding a person's death. But, most importantly of all, an inquest report can draw attention to circumstances which may stop further deaths from happening. Should journalists shy away from attending inquests then an entire arm of the judicial system is not held to account. Inquests can often prompt a wider discussion on serious issues, the most recent of these being mental health and suicide. Editors actively ask and encourage reporters to speak to the family and friends of a person who is the subject of an inquest. Their contributions help us create a clearer picture of the person who died and also provides the opportunity to pay tribute to their loved one. Often families do not wish to speak to the press and of course that decision has to be respected. However, as has been seen by many powerful media campaigns, the input of a person's family and friends can make all the difference in helping to save others. Without the attendance of the press at inquests questions will remain unanswered and lives will be lost. On Tuesday, social worker Christopher Evans told the hearing that Sky was a 'high-risk' individual who had been living in a 'high-anxiety household' and a 'difficult home environment' before she moved to the care home. The inquest heard that Sky took medication for depression and to help her sleep, and told her mother that at one point she 'didn't want to be here anymore' and that she would keep trying to kill herself until she was successful. In a statement, Sky's mother Michaela Fry said her daughter was 'funny and kind-hearted'. She said: 'She loved doing silly things to make people laugh. She had a big, infectious laugh, the kind that filled the room and made everybody feel better. 'Life without Sky seems empty and full of 'I wonders'. I love Sky so much and miss her tremendously. There is a space here now that cannot be filled. I will always belong to her.' The inquest continues. Following Sky's death, it was revealed that her organs were donated to help others. You can read more about that here.
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
I could smell burnt toast but it was the symptom of something very serious
I could smell burnt toast but it was the symptom of something very serious Gareth Evans would regularly show up to his work while being depressed and upset, and though he knew something wasn't right, he could not pin point the cause Gareth Evans, 57, thinks he had lived at least 10 years with the disease before it was diagnosed (Image: Gareth Evans ) WHEN Gareth Evans hit his mid 40s, smelling burnt toast that wasn't there and crying at work for no apparent reason were just two of the signs of a deeper health issue. Keen rugby player Gareth, who worked as a carpenter at the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, was active and happy in his work and personal life. But the usually cheerful and motivated worker suddenly found himself showing up to his job feeling sad, or randomly crying at work. He would also feel his arm twitch, or smell the aroma of burnt toast. Nothing made any sense but, as doctors soon found out, he had been living with a disease that has no cure: Parkinson's. The depression was one of the first symptoms Gareth noticed but, without a diagnosis, he had been at a loss. 'Depression… it comes with Parkinson's,' he explained. 'I didn't understand it. I'd go into work and I'd feel very sad and I would cry. Article continues below "I would come home and I'd cry in the shower, but I was very good at hiding it, didn't talk about it, and didn't get any help and that just got worse and worse. "I just knew there was something wrong. I just didn't know what." Gareth with his wife Louise who is his motivation on difficult days (Image: Gareth Evans ) It was only when the physical symptoms started that Gareth asked for help. The 57-year-old said: "I worked for 34 years for the health service. So I was actually at work and I looked down onto my left arm, and I could see the muscle just on the forearm… it was twitching, twitching a lot. "I couldn't control it, couldn't stop it and I had this for a while, you know, for a couple of days. "So actually, I went to see a friend of mine who worked in the hospital and I asked her advice and she told me I needed to get it sorted." Gareth finally went to his GP and was referred to a consultant at the University Hospital of Wales. He was given his diagnosis on September 21, 2018, after which he says he 'cried like a baby'. While he now has an answer for his previous symptoms, the diagnosis and the condition itself have understandably had a huge impact on his life. "First of all, the depression just wasn't me, because I've always enjoyed life to the full,' he said. "The depression knocked me for a six, more so than the actual Parkinson's, to be honest. "But it affects me now, like 10 years on if you want to go from the diagnosis date. I can't walk properly. If I don't take my tablets, I get these terrible cramps. "I was walking the dog one day and I forgot to take my tablet and I was stuck in the field for 40 minutes. I just couldn't move. "It was tipping down with rain and all my muscles had seized up. "I had a terrible cramp and it was very, very painful. This sort of thing happens quite a lot. It affects your internal organs as well. "It affects you bladder. So you're constantly back and forth to the toilet. "You think you need a wee, but then you don't, and then you do, and that affects you there. An unfinished painting by Gareth of his wife and him together (Image: Gareth Evans ) "But I must admit, I don't really let it get to me too much now. I'm in control of it." Nearly 8,300 people in Wales are currently living with Parkinson's. The progressive neurological condition caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain. The disease causes both motor symptoms such as tremor, stiffness, and slowness of movement, as well as less commonly recognised non-motor symptoms including sleep disturbances, memory issues, and constipation among others. It can also sometimes lead to phantosmia – where patients perceive smells, such as burnt toast, that aren't actually there. In recent years, Parkinson's has come to renewed public attention as a result of Michael J Fox's campaigning on the issue. The Back to the Future star has been open about his experience with the condition, and has won awards for his advocacy for a cure for the disease. For Gareth, once he had fully taken in the advice from experts and come to terms with the diagnosis, he felt he could move on and get back to work. But while Gareth's return was accommodated well by his employers, in light of his diagnosis he soon had to retire upon his doctor's advice. Recalling how he dealt with his retirement, he said: 'The first few months, I just sat in the window, looking out at the rain, beating down onto the patio, and I'm thinking, 'Is this it? Is this what retirement is about?' "Like I said, I'm a very headstrong person, and I've been involved in team sports all my life, mostly rugby. So you know when you're down, and you know you can do something about it. "So, I decided to... enjoy as much as possible and get out and about if I can. Look after my grandchildren and my wife. 'It was a case of, 'it's not going to get better. So I've got to live with it and work with it'.' It wasn't long before he found solace in his retirement, and found surprising new ways of coping. "I started painting, believe it or not,' he said. 'Another symptom I've got with Parkinson's is insomnia. I don't sleep very well. So I get up at night and I paint, painting by numbers. "I find that quite relaxing. Now that you might think is strange because I've got a tremor. "I tremor most of the time. "So when I actually paint, because your brain tells you to concentrate and you literally go in and you paint, the painting by number is a very fine painting. You don't tremor because you use your brain.' One of his favourite creations is a painting of his wife's grandfather, a World War two veteran. He explained: 'I've got a painting on my wall in my kitchen and it's my wife's grandfather. He was just a couple of days short of 102 before he passed and I painted him and he's sitting in an armchair with his World War two medals across his chest.' Gareth also now helps other people diagnosed with Parkinson's to come to terms with their diagnosis. He explained: 'Funny enough, I actually do talk to people who are recently diagnosed and need help. "They'll come over to my house or they'll phone me. We tend to stick together, belong to a Facebook page for Parkinson's. "We all stick together and we help each other out… talking's the best thing." Newly diagnosed patients often went through similar emotions, he added. "The biggest thing is fear, knowing it's not going to get better, it's going to get worse, and there is no cure. "The tablets I take actually work for me but, believe it or not, they've been out since the '60s annd '70s with all these tablets, they'd been around for years and years, and [doctors working in the field of] Parkinson's are trying to find a cure. "I'm hoping come September to actually go on a trial with my consultant. "I've asked to put my name forward and become a guinea pig, so to speak. Because you've just got to try something, you've just got to give it a go." Gareth has thrown his weight behind fundraising, raising significant funds for Parkinson's charities through quizzes, marathons, and rugby matches. Earlier this month – on May 4 – Gareth raised £8,000 when he underwent a sponsored head shave and wax at the Maltsters Arms pub in Whitchurch, Cardiff. Gareth at the head shave and wax event with his son (Image: Gareth Evans ) He said: 'I'll always help, no matter what charity, and if I am able to do anything, I'll do it. "This last one, this one we've done, all I had to do was sit down and have my hair cut. It was the easiest £8,000 I've ever been involved in making! "I've done charity rugby games as well because, when I was first diagnosed, I wanted to raise some money for Parkinson's, so I organised a rugby game. All the people I've been involved with over the years, coaching, playing with, playing against, they all turned up for me. We raised £1,680 that day. That was just one day. "Another time in work, when I used to work, I used to have a 'fat club', we used to call it the 'Big Boy's Belly Fat Club' and the boys used to pay a pound a week and I would have my scales in work and I'd weigh them and I'd write their weight down on the board to encourage them for next week to come in lighter. "This went on for a couple of years and a lot of people got to know about it. Again, we raised money and it was all sent over to Parkinson's.' This Friday, Gareth is organising an auction in aid of Parkinson's charity, where shirts donated by Wales rugby stars Rhys Patchell and Ben Thomas will go under the hammer. Meanwhile, Gareth wishes people were more aware of Parkinson's and how to approach people with the disease. Gareth before his head shave (Image: Gareth Evans ) Gareth with his head shaved after a charity fundraiser for Parkinson's (Image: Gareth Evans ) He recalled: '(At) Christmas time, I went to watch Cardiff rugby play. I wasn't feeling well. "I couldn't explain why I was feeling like it, but I wasn't very well and I decided to leave the rugby halftime. "My wife was picking me up in town because of my condition. "I became so bad quickly and I didn't know what it was. I had a chest infection as well. "I approached a man in Queen Street and I asked him for help because I was walking with cramps and I was stiff. "I wasn't drunk by any means but this guy thought I was drunk, and I asked him for his help. He gave me the F-word, told me to go away. "It made me cross, because that was the first time that had ever happened. "So I just want people, you know, who haven't got Parkinson's, to just realise when you look at somebody and they're a little bit different to normal, just think to yourself it could be something medical. "It could be something causing that problem. "Give them a chance, there's always a story behind everybody.' In the meantime, Gareth says he's had amazing support from his family. He said: 'My wife, she keeps me motivated. My family, my children, my grandchildren. 'I'm a very lucky man. I've got a fantastic family and I've got a fantastic circle of friends and colleagues. I've been fortunate enough to be recognised in work and I actually went to meet the royal family at a garden party a couple of years ago. ' Gareth added: 'I've got three granddaughters and they're brilliant, six, four, three, and 18 months — nearly two. And my wife looks after them on a Tuesday, they come here to our house every Tuesday and I sit there and I just watch them and it makes me happy because I live through them. 'You look at your children and you... You see them doing well, and you just think to yourself, 'I've done something right in life, having a good family'. That's my unit, what I call my unit. My children.' Article continues below :: To find out more about Parkinson's, visit
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Hospital staff 'left operating theatres during surgery to watch Netflix'
The report revealed an 'atmosphere of fear' in the hospital's surgical department - after staff were caught leaving operating theatres to watch Netflix and pigeons were spotted in the corridors Hospital chiefs have apologised after staff were caught leaving operating theatres mid-surgery to watch Netflix, a damning report revealed. Safety fears were raised at the University Hospital of Wales during an internal investigation of its surgical department. According to the report, anaesthetic practitioners were not always present in theatre during their patients' operations, and were instead spending time in the anaesthetic room watching Netflix on their phones. The hospital's cleanliness had also fallen below expected standards after pigeons were seen in trauma theatres and theatre corridors. Health board chiefs have now apologised and are conducting a separate review into allegations that staff allowed members of the public to watch surgery. The report, by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, also found that staff felt belittled and criminal behaviour - including theft and illegal drugs found in a staff locker - went unchallenged. Surgery staff said they often worked through their breaks so needed to take food and drink into the anaesthetic room. Poor infection control was also laid bare as staff were found to not be wearing masks properly, did not have bare arms below the elbow and were wearing jewellery or nail varnish. One person was also found to be still working at the health board after being caught with drugs - with no charges brought by police. An anonymous complaint of racism was made to management and the person accused was suspended but no further action was taken as there was insufficient evidence. The health board said the reluctance of staff to speak up made complaints difficult to address. In a joint statement, the health board's Suzanne Rankin and Paul Bostock said the report was "very disappointing and concerning." They said: "The service review was completed on Tuesday, 29 April 2025 and involved over a third of theatres staff sharing their views and experiences. It uncovered a number of concerning themes, ranging from failures of leadership practice, variable compliance with policies and procedures and poor culture, all of which impact upon behaviours and psychological safety of colleagues. "In relation to patient safety, the main areas of concern relate to compliance with the World Health Organisation surgical safety checklist and the process for obtaining patient consent. As a Health Board, we have already taken mitigating actions and improvements have been implemented." They added: "The health board will now consider the findings, recommended actions and implications of the service review as it develops a management response and a detailed action plan to make urgent improvements and address quality and safety issues. "Colleagues directly involved in theatres will receive a copy of the report and will be supported by a series of face-to-face briefings with the chief operating officer and other senior colleagues. We are very sorry for the distress and concern this will cause, and we want to reassure the public that we will take the necessary steps to address the concerns raised." There are 12 operating theatres at the hospital which carry out 10,700 operations each year including 7,000 emergency cases.
Wales Online
02-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
'Shock and disappointment' as Welsh health board pulls funding from mental health service
'Shock and disappointment' as Welsh health board pulls funding from mental health service Cardiff and Vale University Health Board's decision to stop funding Cardiff and Vale Action for Mental Health will lead to its closure in September 2025 Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has pulled funding from Cardiff and Vale Action for Mental Health (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror ) A Welsh health board's decision to stop funding a mental health service has been called an "absolute shocker" by the head of a voluntary sector organisation. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board's (UHB) decision to stop funding Cardiff and Vale Action for Mental Health (CAVAMH) from April 1, 2025, will lead to the service's closure. The chief executive officer of Glamorgan Voluntary Services (GVS), Rachel Connor, said the end of CAVAMH will be a "great loss" and said their director still hasn't had a proper explanation as to why funding is being removed. Services offered by CAVAMH include providing information, training and development support to other third sector mental health groups in the area. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The Director of CAVAMH said at a Vale of Glamorgan Council voluntary sector joint liaison committee meeting on Tuesday, April 29: "We are a bit worried about the impact it'll have... in terms of a lack of resource and we know it is a really stressful time at the moment for organisations and people with lived experience. "The numbers of people with mental health lived experience are growing at the moment." Cardiff and Vale UHB said it went through a scrutiny process when reviewing its decision on CAVAMH and that as part of this, conversations took place with commissioned providers for feedback and attendance and engagement levels. Article continues below A spokesperson for the health board added that it also "reviewed whether this supported the direction of travel in networking responsibilities to take consultation to a wider audience and align co-production under the new Mental Health Strategy". The Welsh Government recently announced changes for mental health services on April 30, including plans that willl mean people won't need a referral before going to open access services. The 10-year strategy will be focussed on early intervention and prevention and includes plans for people to get community-based non-clinical support through a social prescribing process. Ms Connor of GVS said at Tuesday's voluntary sector joint liaison committee meeting: "To say that I was gobsmacked is an understatement when I heard that the health board were withdrawing funding to CAVAMH. "It's an absolute shocker. We sit around the table with the health board, local authorities on the regional partnership board and there was very little indication that anything like this was going to be taking place. "In fact, I don't believe that Linda [Newton] has had a full and proper explanation as to why the funding is being withdrawn apart from understandable constraints with regard to reduction in funding and challenges with funding, but it is going to be very... difficult for all of us as partners, whether we are third sector organisations or statutory partners, to actually engage as effectively with people who have lived experience of mental health. "That is going to be a big loss for all of us and I am not quite sure how that will be managed moving forward." Ms Newton said CAVAMH, which will be able to continue running until September 2025 as things stand, is doing what it can to make sure people are signposted to alternative areas of support. However, concern remains about the gap that will be left after it closes. A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale UHB said: 'Funding for Cardiff and Vale Action for Mental Health (CAVAMH) from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board reached the end of a three year contractual period on 31st March 2025. 'As part of our scrutiny process when reviewing the decision of whether to renew the contract, a number of conversations took place with commissioned providers for feedback and attendance and engagement levels. "We also reviewed whether this supported the direction of travel in networking responsibilities to take consultation to a wider audience and align co-production under the new Mental Health Strategy. 'Conversations are taking place with other providers with networking capabilities to support with third sector involvement to implement change. 'There are a number of ways those across Cardiff and the Vale can access mental health support, including additional NHS Wales services and mental health support organisations and charities. "Those in need of urgent mental health support can get advice and guidance via the NHS Wales call 111 and press 2 service.' Article continues below
