Latest news with #SwanseaBayUniversityHealthBoard
New York Post
13 hours ago
- Health
- New York Post
Mother, 38, has ‘breast transplant' after cancer diagnosis: ‘I had never seen or heard of such a procedure'
A British breast cancer survivor has undergone what may be a first of its kind surgery: a breast transplant, using her own healthy breast tissue. And it was all her idea. Nicola Purdie, 38, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, after which she had five months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. When her cancer returned a couple of year later — in only one breast — her treatment plan looked quite a bit different. 'This is not run of the mill mastectomy we're talking about,' her breast surgeon, Dr. Reza Arya, told the BBC. 4 Nicola Purdie, 38, has undergone what may be a first of its kind surgery: a breast transplant, using her own healthy breast tissue. NHS Wales Purdie's first bout of cancer was also only in her right breast, but due to family history, she decided to err on the safe side with a double mastectomy. Her reconstructive surgery involved a DIEP (deep inferior epigastric perforator) flap, in which skin and tissue are taken from the stomach. The upside of that procedure is the breasts are still 'natural' — no implants that need to be changed, and they grown and shrink with weight loss. In 2024, she was healthy and five months pregnant with her second child when she discovered a lump in her right breast — the cancer was back. Testing was limited due to her pregnancy, though she did have a lumpectomy to remove what they knew for sure was cancer. After she delivered her son early, further tests confirmed that she actually had several cancerous tumors, both in the skin and in a lymph node. 'The skin was the only bit of the breast tissue left after my previous reconstruction,' she told the Swansea Bay University Health Board. 4 Purdie was pregnant with her second child when she realized her breast cancer had returned. Nic Purdie / Facebook Purdie underwent chemotherapy again, all while caring for her newborn. 'I finished that in February this year, and then I had what we call the 'crazy idea,'' she said. For the next step in her treatment plan, doctors suggested removal of the entire breast that was infected with cancer, as well as LD flap reconstruction. The latissimus dorsi — a flat muscle that spans across part of the back and over to the side — would be swung around to replace the removed breast tissue. But Purdie didn't love that approach. For one, her aunt had had the procedure and the recovery was rough. It could also limit her future movement. 'All these matters are now clear to us, but at the time the idea was so out of the box that I needed to gather my thoughts.' Dr. Reza Arya For another, it would leave her flat-chested on one side, because there would not be enough skin to accommodate an implant. Purdie wanted symmetry, so that would mean removing her left breast as well. So she asked her doctor: What if they did another DIEP flap like she had done before, but this time used tissue from her healthy left breast to reconstruct the right? 4 Purdie came up with the idea to use healthy breast tissue from one breast to reconstruct the other. Nic Purdie / Facebook 'I remember [Dr. Reza Arya] sitting back in his chair,' Purdie said. 'I could see the cogs whirring.' That's because the idea was new to Arya — and the medical field in general. 'All these matters are now clear to us, but at the time the idea was so out of the box that I needed to gather my thoughts,' he said. 'I was analyzing what the benefits and disadvantages could be before even thinking if it would be technically feasible.' 'I had never seen or heard of such a procedure being talked about or published.' He had conversations with other doctors, but no one was quite sure if it would work. 'We didn't know if the vessels were still running, whether the flap needed to be detached to be transferred and, if so, whether the vessels could withstand the microsurgery again,' Arya said. 4 The surgery has allowed for her to get an implant to have symmetrical breasts, which would not have been otherwise possible for her. Gorodenkoff – 'We went through the pros and cons of all the different options,' Purdie added, 'but something was telling me that because I'd had this idea, there was a reason why I'd had it. I needed to plough on and just trust the process.' She decided to move forward with the seven-hour surgery, and tests conducted afterward showed no signs of cancer. After radiation, she will get an implant on that side — and because of the procedure, there is enough skin for it. Arya calls the surgery a 'world first' and says he will soon publish about it. 'I think that would help others with that very rare question — is an entire breast DIEP flap reusable? Can you freely move it again? Now I can say, absolutely yes. We have successfully recycled a reconstructed breast,' he said. Meanwhile, Purdie is thrilled that they found a solution that 'has allowed me to maintain being a woman' 'I would have been left with only one breast permanently. Radiotherapy would damage the skin and tissues too much to allow for an implant, so this surgery gives me the possibility of having two breasts,' she said. 'I've been so lucky.'
Wales Online
02-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Verbal abuse from patients and relatives to nursing staff has risen dramatically
Verbal abuse from patients and relatives to nursing staff has risen dramatically A survey of healthworkers has found that bullying and abuse of health workers is on the rise in one region of Wales NHS Wales staff are encouraged to fill out a survey every year about various aspects of their job (Image: Getty Images ) A quarter of Swansea Bay University Health Board staff who responded to a survey said they faced abuse, harassment or bullying from patients, their relatives or members of the public. The figure of 25% for 2024 was nearly 10% higher than the previous year, a health board report said. And 24% of those that responded said they'd experienced abuse, harassment or bullying from health board colleagues in the preceding 12 months - up nearly 5% on year before. A total of 19% said they'd faced abuse, harassment or bullying from their line manager - a rise of nearly 3%. The annual survey, held over two months, is deployed by all Wales' health boards, Public Health Wales and the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here There were some positive findings for the Swansea Bay region, which covers Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. Employees cited supportive teams, job satisfaction and colleagues wanting to go above beyond to ensure the well-being of patients. Introducing the survey findings at a health board meeting Tina Ricketts, director of workforce and organisational development, said the low response rate by Swansea Bay staff was "quite disappointing". Just under 13% of the health board's 15,601 employees filled in the survey, nearly 6% fewer than the previous year and considerably less than the 21.9% Welsh average. Article continues below Feedback about the low response rate has indicated that staff lacked confidence that anything would change as a result, while concerns were also voiced about the confidentiality of individual responses. The survey findings in many respects mirrored the wider experience of NHS Wales staff. For example 56.7% of Swansea Bay staff said they'd recommend the health board as a place to work, hardly any different from the 56.4% Welsh average. And 65.1% said they were enthusiastic about the job, a smidgeon fewer than the 65.7% country-wide average. Ms Ricketts said the survey, combined with other workforce data, had informed three priority improvement areas around leadership and management, being able to speak up and raise concerns safely, and values and behaviours. A report before the board said it took a zero-tolerance approach to any bullying, harassment or abuse. Independent board member Nuria Zolle said she found the percentages around abuse, harassment or bullying from the survey "really worrying", and welcomed the focus on improved leadership. Article continues below Fellow independent board member Reena Owen said she felt it was important to tell staff what was going to change as a result of the previous year's survey in order to address the perception that nothing would change. Speaking at a health board meeting earlier this year a senior sister at Morriston Hospital's emergency department, Charlotte Gallivan, said verbal abuse from patients and relatives was increasing, and that staff were under immense pressure.
Wales Online
29-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Teenager says he nearly died after having nuts delivered to his hospital ward
Teenager says he nearly died after having nuts delivered to his hospital ward Jacob Robertson has lodged complaints against his local health board in Swansea Jacob Robertson in happier times before he fell ill (Image: Rebekah Robertson ) A teenager with a life threatening nut allergy said he almost died after he ordered nuts that were delivered to him on his hospital ward. Jacob Robertson, 18, said he was able to have the brazil nuts delivered and eat them even though staff knew the risks. He was first admitted to the ward at Neath Port Talbot Hospital after attempting to take his own life when he became unwell in February. He then tried again with the nuts on the ward, but his life was saved by medics, he said. The teenager has now been moved to a different hospital but three months later says he still isn't getting the care he needs. Jacob has lodged formal complaints against his GP as well as against Swansea Bay University Health Board for the quality of care he says he recieved in community health teams and hospital. The board said it can't comment on individual patients in its care, but hopes to better understand Jacob's concerns. Jacob with his mum Rebekah Robertson (Image: Rebekah Robertson ) Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. The sixth form student, who should be sitting his A levels at Olchfa School, where he passed his AS with straight As last summer, said eating the brazil nuts on the ward sent him into anaphylactic shock. He said medics managed to save him but the life threatening crisis left him with PTSD on top of his other mental health diagnoses Jacob said he should never have been allowed to order and take delivery of nuts on the ward and that his threats that he was suicidal were brushed aside as "attention seeking" by at least one nurse. His mother Rebekah Jacobson said there has been a lack of continuity of care. Community mental health teams don't seem to communicate, they claim. They said Jacob has had as many as five or six different psychiatrists in four months. At other times Jacob said he was sent home from Port Talbot Hospital hospital when he was too unwell and on one occasion tried to take his life jumping from a tall building. "It is very frightening and I don't feel safe," said Jacob, who has a place to start a pharmacy degree at Bath University and is upset that he is too ill to sit his A levels now. He said the nightmare began when he started feeling "low" and went to his GP earlier this year. He and his mother claim the GP prescribed him too high a dose of the anti depressant, sertraline. Side effects of the medication can spark suicidal thoughts and when they went to hospital for an emergency appointment were told Jacob had been prescribed 100g of sertraline, twice the dose a young person should have been. "I think because I am young I was not taken seriously on the first hospital ward I was admitted on," said Jacob, "They told me that my fears I would attempt to take my life were "attention seeking" which upset me and made me feel even more unsafe. "It feels like a battle. I am 18 and struggling. My intention is to go back to school one day and take my A levels. I want to be alive and it is very frightening when I feel overwhelmed and suicidal," he said. Jacob said when he has a crisis at Olchfa School just before he was admitted to hospital his school had been "very supportive". He said it was a different matter with the NHS. "I usually enjoy cycling and hiking and being active. I have got good mates. But I don't have the motivation to go back to school at the moment because I am unwell." The teenager said he wants an investigation by the health board and feels that mental health services are broken. He said he is still waiting for a full-time care coordinator and confirmation that he'll receive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) a type of talk therapy designed to help individuals manage intense emotion. Fighting back tears his mother Rebekah said she could not believe how her son had suddenly become so unwell. She is terrified he will do himself harm. "You feel you are banging your head against a wall," said Rebekah, "things are promised and taken away and professionals don't agree with each other. We are four months in and battling for help, it's exhausting." Jacob and Rebekah said he is getting far better treatment now at Cefn Coed Hospital, which is run by the same health authority and their complaints are about Port Talbot Hospital, the GP and community health care teams. But they are still concerned he is not getting the therapy he needs and his mother fears he may harm himself. "When he was sent home once (from Port Talbot Hospital) he ended up on top of a multi storey car park. He had put himself in crisis to get help," said Rebekah, who runs her own business, Mumbles Podiatry. "I was shouted at and dismissed (by mental health staff). They kept letting Jake out and once he also ended up on railway tracks. "He has been in Cefn Coed three weeks and staff there seem lovely but the problem is there is no continuity. He is on his fith or sixth psychiatrist. "As a mother I feel desperate and devastated that he is suicidal. A few months ago he had his whole life ahead of him. We just want help. "I am so scared something will happen to him. They had the police helicopter out once looking for him. We are not asking for the world. We just want him to get treated." Rebekah is heartbroken seeing her son's empty bedroom at home while he is in hospital and fears what might happen next without the help he needs. "I am terrified that when he comes home he won't be safe." Article continues below She became so run down during the last few months battling for her son to get the care he needed that she was hospitalised herself when a tooth abscess became infected. Jacob has also started a petition asking for support for his demands for mental health care provision.
Business News Wales
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Gower College Swansea Hosts Apprenticeship Fair
Gower College Swansea Tycoch Campus.- Copyright © 2025 by Adrian White Gower College Swansea is set to hold an Apprenticeship Fair. More than 94 specialist subject areas will take part, including accountancy, legal, construction, engineering, health and social care, IT and creative media. There will also be an opportunity to meet employers such as Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB), Swansea Council, Atkins Accountants, Vale Europe (known locally as 'The Mond') and Freedom Leisure – LC Swansea. The fair is due to take place on Wednesday, 4 June, from 3.30pm to 7:30pm, at the Tycoch Campus. Gower College Swansea offers apprenticeships from Level 2 all the way to degree-level apprenticeships. Antonia Williams, Training Manager for TUI Group, explained how apprenticeships with Gower College Swansea have transformed TUI's workforce. She said: 'The staff at TUI feel like they've got a purpose, they're happy they're being developed. It improves company culture, and it improves your employee turnover because staff feel you're invested in their growth and development. And of course, you have a great talent pipeline for future staff and managers.'' Kelly Fountain, Principal at Gower College Swansea, said: ''Apprenticeships are a win-win for our region. Learners gain valuable, real-world experience and industry-specific skills, setting them up for long-term career success. At the same time, employers benefit from a motivated and skilled workforce that's tailored to their needs. 'As an award-winning provider, we collaborate with 673 employers and support nearly 3,000 apprentices each year. We pride ourselves on tailoring programmes to your specific needs, working with you to co-create training solutions that align perfectly with your goals. 'At Gower College Swansea we believe apprenticeships are not just about jobs—they're about building a stronger, smarter local economy for everyone.'
Wales Online
15-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Apprenticeships: driving skills, careers and business growth
The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel In recent years, apprenticeships have become one of the most powerful tools for strengthening the local economy, tackling skills shortages, and creating real career opportunities for people of all ages. At Gower College Swansea, staff see firsthand how apprenticeships are changing lives and transforming businesses. Apprenticeships are all-age, work-based learning programmes for individuals working 16 hours or more a week. They offer a unique blend of hands-on experience and formal training, allowing learners to earn while they learn and emerge work-ready for the demands of today's job market. For young people, apprenticeships provide a practical alternative to full-time courses or university study, with clear career progression routes. For adults looking to reskill or upskill, they open doors into industries that are actively seeking qualified workers such as digital, construction, manufacturing, and health and social care. A wide range of apprenticeships are available at Gower College Swansea, from Level 2 all the way to degree-level apprenticeships. Apprenticeship Fair There's no better way to explore apprenticeship options than by speaking directly with expert College staff. On Wednesday, June 4, from 3.30pm to 7.30pm, Gower College Swansea will open its doors at the Tycoch Campus for an exciting Apprenticeship Fair. It's an ideal opportunity to discover real options, ask questions, and take the next step toward a rewarding future. Over 94 specialist subject areas will be represented, including accountancy, legal, construction, engineering, health and social care, IT, and creative media. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet employers such as Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB), Swansea Council, Atkins Accountants, Vale Europe (known locally as 'The Mond'), and Freedom Leisure - LC Swansea. Click here to register for the Apprenticeship Fair (Image: Gower College Swansea) Unlocking success Just as importantly, apprenticeships support the growth of local businesses. They equip learners with the practical skills employers need, while giving businesses the opportunity to grow with homegrown talent. They allow businesses to fill critical skills gaps by bringing in fresh talent or by upskilling existing teams, ensuring organisations remain competitive, agile, and prepared for the future. Antonia Williams, Training Manager for TUI Group, says apprenticeships with Gower College Swansea have transformed TUI's workforce. She explained: 'The staff at TUI feel like they've got a purpose, they're happy they're being developed. It improves company culture, and it improves your employee turnover because staff feel you're invested in their growth and development. And of course, you have a great talent pipeline for future staff and managers.' End-to-end support Apprenticeship programmes at Gower College Swansea continue to go from strength to strength, earning national recognition through accolades such as the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru, the Inspire! Tutor Awards, the TES FE Awards, the Annual Apprenticeship Conference Awards, and the Association of Colleges Beacon Awards. While these accolades reflect the high standards set by the College, it is recognised that some businesses are still hesitant to engage with apprenticeships due to perceived challenges. That is why Gower College Swansea is committed to making the process as smooth and supportive as possible. The College handles the administrative burden, guiding employers through setup and paperwork. Staff work closely with businesses to co-create bespoke training programmes tailored to specific needs and offer expert advice on funding options and grant opportunities. 'A win-win for our region' The goal is to make apprenticeships not only accessible, but truly valuable for every employer involved. Kelly Fountain, Principal at Gower College Swansea, said: 'Apprenticeships are a win-win for our region. 'Learners gain valuable, real-world experience and industry-specific skills, setting them up for long-term career success. 'At the same time, employers benefit from a motivated and skilled workforce that's tailored to their needs.' As an award-winning provider, Gower College Swansea collaborates with 673 employers and supports nearly 3,000 apprentices each year. The College prides itself on tailoring programmes to specific needs and working with employers to co-create training solutions that align perfectly with their goals. At Gower College Swansea, apprenticeships are not just about jobs - they're about building a stronger, smarter local economy for everyone. Find out more For further information about apprenticeships at Gower College Swansea, see
