Latest news with #BCUHB
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Health
- Leader Live
Connah's Quay dentist to open in Flintshire in September
The North Wales health board confirmed that additional dental activity worth around £5.5m is being introduced across the region over the coming months. The new funding is in a bid to improve access to dental treatment in North Wales. A total of £4m has been spent on dental practices in Flint, Mold and Wrexham, as well as other areas across the region. BCUHB also confirmed that a new practice is set to open in Connah's Quay in September. Rachael Page, assistant director of primary care for BCUHB, said: 'We are pleased to announce that additional dental activity worth £5.5m is being introduced across the region over the coming months, as part of our ongoing efforts to improve access to dental treatment. 'Our latest round of commissioning includes £4m of additional general dental practice in Flint, Conwy, Bangor, Mold, Wrexham, Llanrwst, St Asaph and Abergele. 'Contracts have also been awarded to improve access to non-urgent dental sessions (Holyhead, St Asaph, Wrexham, Llandudno, Conwy, Abergele and Bangor), Orthodontic Services (Connah's Quay and Wrexham) and Tier 2 Oral Surgery (Amlwch and Bangor). 'Meanwhile a new dental practice in Connah's Quay is anticipated to open in September 2025, following our previous commissioning exercise. 'Further commissioning is anticipated, and as with previous exercises, this will prioritise those areas with greatest need.' MOST READ: Dad describes how joy turned to terror and panic at Liverpool victory parade Girl of the Year hopefuls strike a pose in photo look back Man who had 'large kitchen knife' in public among those sentenced in court The funding news has been welcomed by MS Sam Rowlands, who said: 'I am pleased to hear that the health board has listened to the campaign to improve access to dentistry and is allocating more funds to improve dental services, particularly in Flintshire and Wrexham. 'It is great to see money being spent in Wrexham, Flint and Mold and certainly good news for my constituents in those areas who struggle to find a dentist. 'I am also delighted to hear that a new dental practice is due to open in Connah's Quay in September.'
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Hand sculpture unveiled at Wrexham Maelor Hospital
Talented sculptor Simon O'Rourke, from Cefn Mawr, is well-known for his unique creations by now. Back in 2019, his giant dragon at Bethesda caused 'traffic to slow down' in order to catch a glimpse of it. More recently, his Deadpool sculpture - in honour of Wrexham AFC co-chairman Ryan Reynolds - caught the eye on social media and beyond as it raised funds for charity. Another notable work of Simon's is the Giant Hand of Vyrnwy in Powys - which was transformed from the remnants of what was the UK's tallest tree - after it was damaged in a storm. Now, his latest work has seen him create a powerful hand sculpture which sits proudly outside the Maelor Hospital in Wrexham as of today (May 27). Dr Stephen Stanaway and Simon O'Rourke with the hand sculpture outside Wrexham Maelor Hospital. (Image: BCUHB) Wrexham Community Gardens contacted Simon last year asking him to donate a sculpture in order to 'enhance the gardens' there. Simon says the aim of the sculpture, made from a redwood tree, was to 'symbolise the importance of hands in the medical field'. He added that he wants it to be a 'gift to the community'. Simon said: "Hands are a practical and personal connection between people. I wanted to symbolise the importance of hands in the medical field, between staff and patients. "The hand sculpture is creased and worn looking giving a feel of a working hand, and the symbol on the palm is the oldest medical symbol in the world, dating back thousands of years. "The staff and serpent symbols are found worldwide in the context of medicine to this day, making it a universally understood motif." Simon added: "The sculpture is made from a Redwood tree that sadly had to be felled a couple of years ago in Welshpool, and it is always an honour to be able to give a tree another story by creating a sculpture. "I created the sculpture as a gift to the community, and the location of the hospital is a significant one, as I've been treated there numerous times myself over the years. Public art is important in any community, I hope this brings some meaning to people." Simon also took to social media to ask people not to use the hospital car park if they are stopping to look at/take photos of the sculpture. TOP STORIES He said: "If you stop to have a look, please don't use the hospital car park. It's incredibly difficult to find parking and we want to leave it for those using the hospital!" Dr Stephen Stanaway, Wrexham Maelor Hospital Medical Director, said: 'I'm delighted on behalf of all colleagues at the Maelor to see this beautiful statue by Simon O'Rourke unveiled on our site. The fact that this is a gift from the artist to his own local hospital is just an illustration of how important a place our facility holds in the public view. 'The imagery it displays beautifully represents how healthcare is largely about hands, about human contact and about one human being interacting with and responding to the needs of another. 'I would like to thank Simon for his generous and donation to hospital. His gift will be treasured for many years.'
Wales Online
24-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
'Gross failures' and 'neglect' played part in death of newborn baby
'Gross failures' and 'neglect' played part in death of newborn baby A Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report has been issued to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board after the death of a newborn baby girl (Image: PA ) The death of a newborn baby girl was in part caused by "gross failures" in medical care and "neglect". A coroner said she was so concerned about the circumstances surrounding the death of Etta-Lili Stockwell-Parry in 2023 that she issued a Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB). Her mother Laura Stockwell-Parry was induced and Etta-Lili was born "in poor condition" on July 3, 2023,at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor having suffered oxygen starvation, according to a pathologist. She was taken to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral but died there four days later on July 7. At a two day inquest in Cernarfon Kate Robertson, senior coroner for north west Wales, found that neglect was a contributory factor in the little baby's death. Staff had failed to notice problems early enough and a subsequent investigation wasn't thorough enough, the coroner said. Neither a community midwife before the birth, nor maternity unit staff at Ysbyty Gwynedd noticed the baby had stopped growing at about 40 weeks, the hearing was told. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. (Image: Daily Post Wales ) Article continues below North Wales Live reported that the health board said said "significant steps" had been taken to address the failures in this case, which it said was an "isolated incident". Mrs Robertson found cause of death was hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy. She recorded a narrative conclusion at this week's inquest. In a Prevention of Futue Deaths report statement, issued after the inquest the coroner said there were "several gross failures" identified in Etta's mother's care. These failures resulted in opportunities not taken to deliver Etta before she became distressed. There were "many incidences of learning" relating to Etta's resuscitation at Ysbyty Gwynedd, she added. Mrs Robertson found: "There were several opportunities not taken by those caring for Etta's mother. "There were opportunities to identify concerns with Etta through her mother on the midwifery led unit on 2 July 2023 including properly conducting holistic assessments, properly completing partogram and manual palpation of maternal pulse which would also likely have resulted in earlier detection of distress and successful delivery. Etta's death was contributed to by neglect." The coroner also found that Mrs Stockwell-Parry ought to have been referred to the labour ward for close monitoring, but instead, she was induced and received only intermittent monitoring. Her pulse was not always taken and recorded and there was no recognition that Etta Lili's mother's pulse was being recorded as opposed to the fetal heart rate. Mrs Robertson also found the neonatal investigation was not thorough. The investigator neither obtained nor requested statements from the doctors directly involved in Etta's resuscitation, nor did they meet them to understand what had occurred. Mrs Robertson said she is concerned that staff not involved in the incident will not learn enough from events where there is inadequate sharing of learning from an incident. She issued the Prevention of Future Deaths report about her concerns. BCUHB has 56 days to respond with a timetable of how it will act on points raised. Angela Wood, Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said "significant steps" have been taken to address the issues in this "isolated incident". She said: "We would like to extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Mr and Mrs Stockwell-Parry following the tragic death of baby Etta. We recognise the profound impact this has had on the family, and we are truly sorry for the pain and loss they have endured. "Since this tragic event in July 2023, we have carried out a thorough review of the care provided and taken significant steps to ensure that the issues identified have been addressed. We are committed to learning from this and have implemented a range of measures to strengthen our training and clinical oversight to ensure the safest possible care for mothers and babies." Article continues below She added: "We want to reassure expectant mothers and families in our care that this was an isolated incident. Providing safe, compassionate care is our highest priority, and we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of care across our maternity services."
North Wales Live
23-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
'Gross failures' in medical care and 'neglect' played part in tragic death of baby girl
"Gross failures" in medical care and "neglect" played a part in the death of a newborn baby girl. A coroner was so concerned about the circumstances surrounding the death of little Etta-Lili Stockwell-Parry in 2023 that she issued a Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB). Laura Stockwell-Parry was induced and baby Etta-Lili was born "in poor condition" on July 3, 2023,at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor having suffered oxygen starvation, according to a pathologist. She was transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral but died there four days later on July 7. Kate Robertson, senior coroner for north west Wales, who held a two-day inquest in Caernarfon into Etta-Lili's death this week, found neglect was a contributory factor. Mrs Robertson said staff had failed to notice problems early enough and a subsequent investigation wasn't thorough enough. Neither a community midwife before the birth, nor maternity unit staff at Ysbyty Gwynedd noticed the baby had stopped growing at about 40 weeks. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter - sent every Tuesday The health board described the failures as an "isolated incident". Mrs Robertson found the cause of death was hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy. She recorded a narrative conclusion at this week's inquest. In the PFD report statement, issued yesterday, she said there were "several gross failures" identified in Etta's mother's care which resulted in opportunities not taken to deliver Etta before she became distressed. There were "many incidences of learning" from a neonatal perspective relating to Etta's resuscitation at Ysbyty Gwynedd, she added. Mrs Robertson found: "There were several opportunities not taken by those caring for Etta's escalate from a midwife to a registrar due to static growth which would have led to induction of labour and likely safe delivery of Etta. "There were opportunities to identify concerns with Etta through her mother on the midwifery led unit on 2 July 2023 including properly conducting holistic assessments, properly completing partogram and manual palpation of maternal pulse which would also likely have resulted in earlier detection of distress and successful delivery. Etta's death was contributed to by neglect." She found Mrs Stockwell-Parry ought to have been referred to the labour ward for close monitoring. Instead, she was induced. She received intermittent monitoring. Her pulse was not always taken and recorded and there was no recognition that Etta Lili's mother's pulse was being recorded as opposed to the fetal heart rate. Mrs Robertson also found the neonatal investigation was not thorough. The investigator did not obtain or request statements from doctors directly involved in Etta's resuscitation, nor did they meet them to understand what had occurred. Mrs Robertson said she is concerned that staff not involved in the incident will not learn fully enough from events where there is inadequate sharing of learning from an incident. She issued the Prevention of Future Deaths report about her concerns. BCUHB has 56 days to respond with a timetable of how it will act on the points raised. Angela Wood, Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said it has taken "significant steps" to address the issues in this "isolated incident". She said: 'We would like to extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Mr and Mrs Stockwell-Parry following the tragic death of baby Etta. We recognise the profound impact this has had on the family, and we are truly sorry for the pain and loss they have endured. 'Since this tragic event in July 2023, we have carried out a thorough review of the care provided and taken significant steps to ensure that the issues identified have been addressed. We are committed to learning from this and have implemented a range of measures to strengthen our training and clinical oversight to ensure the safest possible care for mothers and babies." She added: 'We want to reassure expectant mothers and families in our care that this was an isolated incident. Providing safe, compassionate care is our highest priority, and we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of care across our maternity services.'
Rhyl Journal
08-05-2025
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
BCUHB A&E nurse speaks out on 'undignified' corridor care
The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) employee, who cannot be named, is backing the petition launched by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the British Medical Association (BMA) in Wales to address the "alarming" state of corridor care in hospitals and healthcare services. Both unions are urging the Welsh Government to take "immediate action" to end the practice of treating patients in corridors, chairs and waiting areas and are asking the public to sign the petition. They say nurses and doctors are being "forced" to treat patients in "inappropriate and undignified" environments which puts them at risk of "significant" harm. The nurse, who has worked for the same hospital for 20 years and works mainly in A&E, said: "I always feel guilty myself about putting the patients in the corridor because I want my patient to have treatment but... sometimes it is the only choice we have rather than sending them back to the waiting area without any treatment or putting them in the corridor where there is an area where they can have antibiotics or whatever treatment we need to give the patient. "It demoralises the staff. Staff are having low morale. As a nurse, this is against my principals. "I want to provide a very high standard of care and I want my patient safe. I want them to have the treatment they deserve but if the patient is in the corridor, or in the area which is not a clinical designated area, then they don't get any of that. "Everything that is discussed is being heard by other patients and some really ill patients, some that are short of breath or are confused, their dignity is compromised because they have no privacy in that area. Everyone can see. Everyone is there - some patients with mental health problems, some really unwell, some patients in police custody. "I think that if I was the patient myself, I would probably feel so uncomfortable. "Because our patient has no choice but to sit there, particularly those who are really unwell, they just take it. I think we should scrap that and the only way we can eradicate this is for everyone to get involved in this petition. "This corridor care is unacceptable and undignified and should not be happening at all." MORE NEWS Work inside Rhyl's Queen's Market in Rhyl progressing 'well' The nurse added: "I think everyone should be involved in this petition, not just nurses and doctors, but patients as they are the ones who are affected here. "We, as nurses, are affected by this as we don't want to do this - we know it is unsafe, people are dying, people are not receiving enough care that they should received. When you are really unwell, we all deserve the best treatment to get well very soon." The nurse believes that corridor care can become a "thing of the past" but admits there is "no quick fix". The petition, which can be signed here, is calling on the Welsh Government to: Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: 'We are beyond breaking point. I have travelled across Wales and witnessed people in pain, confused and frightened, with no privacy, no dignity, and no proper care environment. 'Treating patients in corridors and other inappropriate areas is not nursing – it is crisis management in a system that is failing." Stephen Kelly, chair of the BMA's Welsh Consultants Committee said: 'When a patient is not placed in a bed space there's a chance something vital may be missed, there's no access to monitoring equipment and no privacy to carry out certain procedures. 'This is dangerous and is putting patients' lives at risk, we urge the Welsh Government to work with us to put a stop to this practice. 'We're extremely concerned that the 'normalising' of seeing patients in completely inappropriate spaces will mean that patients come to significant harm which is hugely distressing for patients but also NHS staff." A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: "We do not endorse routine care in non-clinical environments where patient privacy or dignity is compromised. However, there are occasions when the NHS faces exceptional pressures during high demand periods. 'Never events are recorded in the NHS as wholly preventable medical errors with the potential to cause serious harm, therefore the call to classify care for patients in chairs for more than 24 hours as a 'never event' does not meet the criteria, given the complex nature of causes. 'We've provided £200m additional funding this year to improve home care and hospital discharge timelines to address these challenges, which are not unique to Wales." Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS, said: "I fully support the RCN's campaign. The situation in our emergency departments is unacceptable, causing harm to patients, and putting undue pressure on hardworking NHS staff. 'We need urgent action from the Welsh Government to get to grips with this situation once and for all yet ministers seem completely incapable of improving things. 'One of the reasons we are experiencing these problems is that don't have enough beds in our local hospitals. "That is why it is essential that the Welsh Labour Government finally delivers the new hospital in Rhyl that it promised 13 years ago.'
