Welsh Government campaign launched to support young carers
Launched during Carers Week by the Welsh Government, the social media campaign aims to help young people recognise their caring roles and connect them to available support services.
It highlights the experiences of young carers like Tamanna, who support family members with disabilities or long-term health needs.
Tamanna said: "I am a 23-year-old British Bangladeshi.
"Alongside my siblings I am an unpaid carer for my mum who has a range of medical conditions.
"As I live with her, I am her primary carer.
"I don't think about this as care as it's my mum and I love her dearly and want the best for her.
"However, it can become difficult when I am unable to take time off from work.
"It's a struggle but we manage by working together as a family.
"Eid celebrations are always at my mum's house where everyone comes together to enjoy the much-needed family time."
She highlighted that this time gives her 'a form of respite' as there are others there in the house.
"This is what Eid truly means for us.
"It is a time of remembering and being there for one another."
The Welsh Government estimates that around 30,000 young carers live in Wales, many of whom remain unidentified and unsupported.
Dawn Bowden, minister for children and social care, said: "As we mark Carers Week, hearing voices like Tamanna's reminds us that caring responsibilities don't pause for holidays.
"This campaign helps young people recognise when they're caring and connects them with vital support.
"We want to ensure young carers don't miss educational opportunities or struggle with their wellbeing.
"By seeing themselves in these stories, I hope more young people will reach out for the support they deserve."
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South Wales Argus
5 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Welsh Government campaign launched to support young carers
Launched during Carers Week by the Welsh Government, the social media campaign aims to help young people recognise their caring roles and connect them to available support services. It highlights the experiences of young carers like Tamanna, who support family members with disabilities or long-term health needs. Tamanna said: "I am a 23-year-old British Bangladeshi. "Alongside my siblings I am an unpaid carer for my mum who has a range of medical conditions. "As I live with her, I am her primary carer. "I don't think about this as care as it's my mum and I love her dearly and want the best for her. "However, it can become difficult when I am unable to take time off from work. "It's a struggle but we manage by working together as a family. "Eid celebrations are always at my mum's house where everyone comes together to enjoy the much-needed family time." She highlighted that this time gives her 'a form of respite' as there are others there in the house. "This is what Eid truly means for us. "It is a time of remembering and being there for one another." The Welsh Government estimates that around 30,000 young carers live in Wales, many of whom remain unidentified and unsupported. Dawn Bowden, minister for children and social care, said: "As we mark Carers Week, hearing voices like Tamanna's reminds us that caring responsibilities don't pause for holidays. "This campaign helps young people recognise when they're caring and connects them with vital support. "We want to ensure young carers don't miss educational opportunities or struggle with their wellbeing. "By seeing themselves in these stories, I hope more young people will reach out for the support they deserve."
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Diabetes prevention scheme reduces risk of condition by quarter
A diabetes prevention programme in Wales could reduce the risk of developing the condition by nearly a quarter, research has the all-Wales programme "doesn't currently live up to its name" as it only operates in parts of Wales, a charity affects more than 220,000 people in Wales with projections it could rise by 22% over the next Burr, head of Diabetes UK Cymru, said NHS costs had also risen and called for money to be invested in patients before they start to live with the condition. The Welsh government said funding has been allocated this year to make further progress in embedding delivery in core activity and rolling it out across Wales. Following a pilot in two parts of Wales, in 2022 the gradual roll out began with 35 of the 60 primary care clusters in Wales, prioritising areas in each health board with a high prevalence of type 2 by the Welsh government but provided by health boards, it has now been offered to more than 10,000 people across Wales."So many people in Wales will not have access to this programme currently and that's an inequity – its not fair," said Ms Burr."We want everyone to have access to the same level of support and care because diabetes is such a serious condition. "It's actually at crisis levels in Wales and continuing to rise and we need to make sure we're getting people the help they need before they develop diabetes if possible." David Weekes from Swansea has been among those to benefit from the prevention programme. The 67-year-old only discovered he was pre-diabetic when he went to the GP about an unrelated rash on his knees, and was sent to see the prevention team in Penclawdd."We talked about my diet and exercise and I went back for a follow-up appointment this year," he said. "In that time I have lost 2st 1lb (13kg). I stopped eating as many biscuits and cakes and I now go to the gym every day."I feel a lot better in myself for doing it and my glucose levels have come right down."Ms Weekes said while he was not unfit before, it gave him the warning "I needed"."I now cycle seven days a week, for about 15-16 miles (25km), and I do weightlifting in the gym." The scheme uses a blood test, called an HbA1c test, to identify those at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes by measuring their average blood sugar with levels between 42-47 millimoles per mole are classed as at increased risk and offered a 30-minute appointment with a healthcare support worker, where information and support is provided.A follow up appointment then takes place a year later. Dr Sarah Davies, a GP in Cardiff and primary care lead for diabetes in Wales, said blood tests would often identify someone is borderline for type 2 diabetes, but "until now we haven't had anywhere we can refer those individuals to get that support"."Primary care is on our knees and under-resourced across Wales. So sometimes those patients haven't received much in the way of information about pre diabetes."That's why I so welcome this program to enable us to refer these individuals into a community service."I'm hoping now that we've got this study that clearly demonstrates the benefits, this will support more widespread funding for this innovative program here in NHS Wales."She added that patients sometimes feel shame attached to being told they are pre-diabetic."There's a lot of blame associated with it, which is not the case. There's many reasons why people end up living with overweight, obesity and at risk of type two diabetes, many complex environmental, genetic reasons. "So sometimes people don't want to face up to it, but actually giving one to one support via this program is a lovely way to be able to give an individualized approach."Alisha Davies, head of research and evaluation at Public Health Wales, said results have shown the programme has been been effective in "stalling and reducing progression" to diabetic blood glucose levels. She said "robust monitoring and evaluation" will help to understand its impact over time on "an important preventable disease in Wales". Staff from one primary care cluster in Swansea have also taken the screening to a local mosque to identify those who are either pre-diabetic or have undiagnosed Wynn Burke said: "Our practice population includes a significant Asian community who are known to be at higher risk of diabetes from a much younger age."We do a lot of diabetes screening in high-risk individuals as part of our normal practice. "However, the percentage of our practice population with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes remains below the expected ratio, therefore we sought to reach out and bridge potential health inequalities."Caroline Ashwood, an advanced nurse practitioner at SA1 Medical Centre, said around a fifth of the 140 people screened over three days so far had been identified as pre-diabetic, and three had diabetes."Swansea Mosque is based within our (cluster area), and it is one of the largest in the UK with around 10,000 members, so this was a great opportunity to bridge health inequalities," she said. "The team at Swansea Mosque were equally proactive in working together. They set up the online booking system and supported us on the screening days we have already carried out." The Welsh government said: "We know preventative support makes a real difference in reducing the risk of people with prediabetes developing type 2 diabetes, and funding from a variety of sources has been used to develop and extend the programme. "To ensure more people across Wales can benefit from early support, funding has also been allocated this year to make further progress in embedding delivery in core activity and rolling out across Wales." How many people have diabetes in Wales? There are more than 220,000 people in Wales with diabetes – predominantly with type 2 which is preventable – and the numbers have steadily risen in by Public Health Wales (PHW) suggest that without intervention, by 2035 there will be a 22% rise in those figures are higher among older people and men, though Diabetes UK Cymru said they were seeing more cases of people under 40 developing the research shows the cost and volume of medicines prescribed for diabetes has been steadily increasing over the last cost of medicine ingredients alone has risen 56% in the last five years and is now over £90m in Wales, partly because of the increase in the numbers of items were also 90,000 hospital admissions attributed to diabetes in Wales during 2021/2022. What is type 2 diabetes? Type 2 diabetes is where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin eating, regular exercise and a healthy body weight reduce the risk of developing condition can cause excessive thirst, tiredness and the need to go for a wee a lot. It can also lead to complications like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, retina damage and foot problems if not managed well.
Pembrokeshire Herald
17 hours ago
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Dentists warn Welsh reforms could ‘destroy NHS dentistry'
Patients in Pembrokeshire left stranded without NHS dentists as new centralised 'portal' plan sparks concern PEMBROKESHIRE MP Henry Tufnell has published the results of a major survey exposing the scale of the dentistry crisis in West Wales — with 88% of respondents saying they do not have an NHS dentist. Henry Tufnell MP Now, with the Welsh Government proposing sweeping reforms to NHS dental services, concerns are growing that continuity of care could worsen and families may be forced to attend separate dental practices under a new centralised system. Mr Tufnell said the responses to his survey were 'shocking' and pointed to a system 'failing to meet the needs' of Pembrokeshire residents. Survey findings at a glance: 88% of respondents do not have an NHS dentist 60% tried to register but were told no places were available Over one-third have not seen any dentist at all Most reported emergency-only care or temporary treatment Families cited long travel distances, unaffordable costs, and health deterioration from delays In some cases, residents described waiting up to 16 years for an appointment. One patient was diagnosed with jaw cancer after multiple emergency visits, and a parent reported paying over £2,000 privately for their son's treatment. Mr Tufnell has presented the findings to Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB), which is responsible for managing local NHS dental contracts. He has pledged to work with the board and local dentists to push for urgent reform. 'Patients are suffering, and services are falling short,' Mr Tufnell said. 'Our local dental professionals are doing their best, but they are trapped in a system that simply isn't working.' Centralised 'Dental Portal' proposed The survey comes as the Welsh Government launches a public consultation on radical new proposals to tackle the growing backlog and access problems in NHS dentistry. The plan would see all adult patients placed on a central waiting list, called the Dental Access Portal, and then assigned to any surgery within the health board area — not necessarily their local or regular dentist. Under the new model: Patients would only remain with a surgery while actively receiving treatment Those with healthy teeth would be recalled for a check-up every 18–24 months Children would remain with their initially assigned dentist Some charges would increase (e.g. routine check-ups rising from £20 to £24.75), while others would drop (e.g. single crowns falling from £260 to £239.15) Health Minister Jeremy Miles said the proposed changes aim to improve fairness and make NHS dentistry more attractive to providers. 'When people need to see a dentist, they'll be able to access one — that's the critical thing,' he said. BDA and dentists voice serious concerns But the British Dental Association (BDA) and frontline dentists have warned that the proposals risk undermining continuity of care and could accelerate the move towards private dentistry. Dr Lauren Harrhy, a dentist from Pontypool, said the system may become saturated: 'There is a risk that practices will be overwhelmed with complex cases and won't be able to return patients to the central system — blocking new access entirely.' Others warned the changes could split families between surgeries and discourage patients from attending regularly, while offering no new funding to support the transition. Dr Harj Singhrao, a dentist in Newbridge, said: 'This could be devastating. If people are punished for looking after their teeth — and families are split across surgeries — it breaks trust and continuity.' Voices from the public Local voices speak out: 'A total mess' As Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell released the results of his dentistry survey, social media erupted with hundreds of personal stories and strong opinions about the crisis — and what the Welsh Government plans to do about it. Years without care, soaring bills Emma Roach shared her struggle: 'I haven't seen a dentist in seven years… I've got bleeding gums, probably need fillings, and can't afford even the check-up. I just paid £97 for new glasses — it's a mess. I'm a vet nurse, single parent, and even my 12-year-old son doesn't get free NHS dental care.' MelJane Bainee added: 'My daughter has always looked after her teeth. Now we've been told it could cost up to £5,000 to fix a dental issue — and we're not getting any help.' Others reported resorting to private schemes. 'Paying £45 a month now because of the mess of my teeth not being able to access a dentist for so many years,' wrote Abigail Louise Evans. Fury over government priorities Abi Hallett criticised local spending priorities: 'I think the money pledged for a footpath from Narberth to Haverfordwest… would be much better spent on providing some NHS dentistry.' Another comment read: 'On the day we find out Mark Drakeford is giving £36 million of Welsh taxpayers' money to Starmer, we're here without NHS dentists. Fund care in Wales first!' Warnings over Welsh Government's reforms Kirsty Fisher didn't hold back: 'The new Welsh Government dental contract is the final nail in the coffin. They're driving NHS dentists out by making the contract unworkable. Stop blaming the practices — it's government policy doing this.' Dan Chambers described the cycle many patients face: 'Get registered, get seen once, place shuts down, repeat.' Mary Dempsey added: 'If you're an NHS patient, they declare you fit after your check-up. They won't do any preventative care, especially in the elderly.' Mixed views on Henry Tufnell's efforts While some praised the MP for raising the issue, others questioned the impact. 'Does Henry live in cloud cuckoo land?' asked Ian Sturley. Myles Lewis-McGinley wrote: 'While I appreciate Henry's efforts, this has happened under 26 years of Labour in Wales. These problems didn't appear overnight.' Kevin Lloyd asked the MP directly: 'Do you use NHS dentistry yourself, or private? And how many people actually filled in this survey?' Others were more sceptical of all political parties. Mike Gideon Hodgson commented: 'Reform aren't going to make things better either — the whole political system needs reforming, not just the party.' MP calls for local solution Henry Tufnell told The Herald: 'This isn't just about waiting lists or contracts — it's about people's lives. The heartbreaking stories in my survey make one thing clear: reform must be grounded in patient care and local accountability, not bureaucracy.' The public consultation on the new proposals remains open until Wednesday, 19 June.
