Tag: 2023

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 11 January 2023.

An internationally recognised research chemist, Professor Jas Pal Badyal FRS, has been appointed as the Welsh Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser.

As the new Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales, Professor Badyal will provide science advice to the First Minister and Welsh Ministers.

He will also be responsible for developing the Welsh Government’s science capability and supporting the growth of a strong and dynamic science and research base in Wales.

Professor Badyal is currently Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Durham University. He is renowned for his pioneering research on the functionalisation of solid surfaces and deposition of functional nanolayers for technological and societal applications.

Professor Jas Pal Badyal said:

I am excited to be given this opportunity to contribute towards building a high-skill, high-tech economy, helping to bring positive impact and well-being for the people of Wales.

Wales has great potential to become a world leader for technological innovations targeting some of the biggest challenges facing humanity today—including climate change, environmental degradation, renewable energy, food security, healthcare, and rising social inequality.

Welcoming the appointment, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said:

I’m delighted to welcome Professor Jas Pal Badyal as Wales’ next Chief Scientific Adviser.

The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring Wales is a nation where science, research and innovation are supported and done well. I look forward to working with him to achieve that ambition.

Professor Badyal, who will take up the role in February 2023, replaces Professor Peter Halligan, who retired from the role in 2022.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 10 January 2023.

Major new plans to make Wales a global centre of excellence and the leading location for medical radioisotope production in the UK, which would help address a fast-approaching supply crisis for nuclear medicine around the world have been unveiled today by the Welsh Government.

• Welsh Government’s Project ARTHUR would see the creation of a public sector national laboratory for the supply of medical radioisotopes, needed for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer.
• Facility would be a global centre of excellence in nuclear medicine, making Wales the leading location for medical radioisotope production in the UK.
• Development will lead to the creation of highly skilled jobs over several decades.
• Economy Minister calls on the UK Government to help fund the project to avoid a “future health and economic crisis.”

In the UK, across Europe, and further afield, the equipment in facilities currently producing life-saving radioactive substances, known as medical radioisotopes, which are critical to cancer diagnosis and treatment, are coming to the end of their productive life and being closed. As a result, by 2030, the UK faces a reality of having no medical radioisotopes, or the “ethical nightmare” of having to ration them.

The consequences of supply interruptions are significant. The temporary loss of isotopes from the cyclotron at Cardiff University’s PET Imaging Centre impacted diagnostic scans for several diseases, especially cancers. A more general loss of supply would have a significant detrimental impact on patient outcomes and survival.

In response, the Welsh Government has developed plans to secure the supply of medical radioisotopes for Wales and the UK through the development of project ARTHUR (Advanced Radioisotope Technology for Health Utility Reactor).

Based in north west Wales, the Project ARTHUR facility will be a public sector ‘national laboratory’ with its own nuclear reactor. It would produce medical radioisotopes and supply them to NHS Wales and the other National Health Services in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Project ARTHUR will be a major Welsh and UK strategic initiative and is a multi-decade endeavour, a commitment of some 60 to 70 years. Once up and running, it will then be one of a few facilities in the world focusing primarily on medical radionuclide production.

As well as providing vital services for the NHS across the UK, it will also help stimulate the north Wales economy by attracting highly skilled jobs and industry, create a surrounding infrastructure, build local supply chains, and support local communities.

The jobs created, both direct and in the associated supply chain, will be long-term and sustainable for people of different socio-economic backgrounds and skillsets. They will include roles such as research scientists and engineers, drivers, operations, production, technical and office staff.

The facility would also help sustain and build strong, cohesive, and long-lasting communities. This will be especially important in those rural and Welsh-speaking communities across north Wales, which have been heavily reliant on jobs in the nuclear power industry.

The project is a major collaborative development between the Welsh Government’s Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Economy. The potential developments resulting from the new medical school in Bangor, aligned with Project ARTHUR and other health technologies, presents the best regional solution to a sustainable and secure radio-diagnostic and radio-medicines capability in north Wales.

Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said:

Today, I am pleased to set out a clear ambition for creating another major technological cluster here in Wales, while also tackling a fast-approaching crisis for medical treatment right around the world.

Our vision is the creation of project ARTHUR – a world-leading nuclear medicine facility, which will bring together a critical mass of nuclear science research, development, and innovation.

Through this development, not only can Wales become the leading place in the UK for medical radioisotope production – producing life-saving medical radioisotopes that are critical to cancer diagnosis and treatment – but we can also attract higher skilled jobs, create a surrounding infrastructure, support local communities, and build local supply chains.

This project will be vital in helping us deliver on our commitments to creating a healthier and more prosperous Wales, by creating the opportunities people need to make their futures here in Wales.

The project’s vision includes creating a ‘technology campus’ in north Wales, to parallel other UK campuses with a nuclear element, such as those at Harwell (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory) and Culham (UK Atomic Energy Authority) in Oxfordshire, and at Daresbury (STFC nuclear physics laboratory) in Cheshire.

However, to succeed, funding needs to be secured from different sources, including the UK Government, to create project ARTHUR.

The Minister added:

The scale of investment needed to bring Project ARTHUR to life is considerable. I am calling on the UK Government to co-operate in supporting our efforts, since this development benefits and supports future cancer diagnostics and treatment right across the UK. Now is the time for decisive action and commitment. The implications of not acting will be counted in human lives and in long-term economic pressure on health services, through unsustainable health treatments.

We are now experiencing unprecedented economic pressures – but that is not an excuse for failing to plan for this clear future need. We must prevent a future health and economic crisis. I have, therefore, approved funding for a technical feasibility study and for the development of an Outline Business Plan. This plan will build on technical work already undertaken and the earlier Strategic Outline Business Plan.

I’m confident our Project ARTHUR facility can become a global centre of excellence and a source of pride for Wales and the wider UK for many decades.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 9 January 2023.

A new pilot programme to support schools in tackling the impact poverty has on attainment has been launched.

Seven headteachers from across Wales have been recruited as Attainment Champions.

The team brings together headteachers from across Wales who have a wealth of experience and have already helped shape key national policies and overseen community inspired projects.

The pilot will run for six months with the role of the Attainment Champion providing peer-to-peer support to schools and to help inform Welsh Government policy around educational attainment drawing on their own experience and sharing best practice.

The National Academy for Educational Leadership are supporting Welsh Government and has helped recruit the new Attainment Champions.

Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles said:

I am delighted to be able to announce our new Attainment Champions. Those appointed have demonstrated sustained progress in addressing the impact of poverty on educational attainment. They have strong experience of mentoring and insight into the increasing pressures the cost- of-living crisis is having on families. I very much look forward to working with you all over the next six months.

The National Academy for Educational Leadership, Chief executive, Tegwen Ellis, said:

We are extremely pleased that the National Academy for Educational Leadership is to be leading this important pilot on behalf of Welsh Government. Tackling the impact of poverty on education is a priority for us all and the attainment champions will provide us with an approach to do this.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 6 January 2023.

The number of additional dental appointments provided this year has reached 109,000, according to the latest Welsh Government data.

Welsh Government changes to NHS dentistry contracts, offered to practices since last April, include a requirement for NHS practices to see new patients. The Welsh Government expects an estimated 112,000 new NHS patient appointments will be possible this financial year.

However, the Chief Dental Officer for Wales has warned that missed appointments are impacting on people who need dental treatment the most. Andrew Dickenson has asked patients to avoid missing appointments where possible or notify their practice in advance when they are unable to attend.

According to the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), 9.4% of all NHS scheduled appointments last year were lost due to patient non-attendance, the equivalent of 3.5 hours of clinical time each week for every practice.

Eluned Morgan, the Minister for Health and Social Services, said:

We want everyone in Wales to be able to access NHS dental care, if they want it. From this year, we’re providing an additional £2 million a year to support increasing access to dental services throughout Wales.

I’m really pleased that we’ve already broken the 100,000 extra appointments barrier this year, which shows that our reforms, made in partnership with the industry, are resulting in clear positive outcomes for patients.

Andrew Dickenson added:

We’ve made great progress since our reforms to NHS dental contract. 78% of practices have by now signed up to the contract variation, which is really bearing fruit in terms of new patient appointments.

But missed appointments continue to be a real issue, adding up to the equivalent in clinical time of losing 20 full time dentists a year.

It’s understandable that things come up, meaning people can’t always keep appointments. But my key message is – please “cancel, don’t break” appointments – contact your practice as soon as you know you can’t attend. That way practices can make time for other patients, enabling even more people to get speedier access to dental treatment.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 5 January 2023.

Welsh Government Ministers have today visited credit unions across Wales as they announced continued funding of just over £422,000 a year for the organisations which offer vital support to those struggling with their finances.

Credit Unions are not-for-profit, and owned by the people who use their services, rather than by external shareholders or investors.

Actively involved in communities throughout Wales, credit unions contribute to the economy and the financial wellbeing of members, who can save safely and borrow at an affordable rate of interest.

On a visit to Cardiff and Vale Credit Union alongside the Minister for Social Justice, the First Minister, Mark Drakeford said:

This time of year can be particularly difficult as people are left to deal with the cost of Christmas.

We know this winter especially, during an unprecedented cost of living crisis, many are finding it very tough and, sadly, high interest doorstep lenders or loan sharks will prey on those suffering financial difficulties.

I would urge those struggling to turn to their local credit union, which can provide access to fair and affordable credit – in support of our journey to promote social justice and tackle poverty across Wales.

Credit unions can help those who might traditionally find it difficult to save through offering schemes such as payroll deductions. They also offer Christmas savings schemes that only allow withdrawals in the lead up to the festive season, which helps at an often-difficult time of year.

The First Minister added:

While many of us may not even want to think about next Christmas, now could be the perfect time to consider starting to save. Credit unions can make that process easier.

The Welsh Government provides credit unions with revenue funding to ensure they can develop a host of projects in communities aimed at boosting membership.

In a clear demonstration of the importance of credit unions in Wales, Ministers within the Welsh Government Cabinet took part in a coordinated visit across the length and breadth of the country, raising awareness of the services they provide, which includes ethical and affordable lending.

Social Justice Minister Jane Hutt said:

I would urge those who might be struggling and tempted to use high-cost credit to use their local credit union as a responsible alternative to other forms of lending.

It is clear Welsh credit unions work incredibly hard, and I’d like to thank them for their commitment to providing ethical savings and affordable loans.

They truly are a lifeline to people all across Wales.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 5 January 2023.

I launched the Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio (DMTP) in September 2021 and updated Members in May 2022. We continue to make significant progress across the programme – this statement sets out the work to date and the next steps.

The DMTP team, hosted by Digital Health and Care Wales, is coordinating all activity across NHS Wales. There are four main areas:

• Primary care, which includes the implementation of the electronic prescription service.
• Secondary care, which focuses on the digitisation of hospital prescribing and medicine administration activities and the electronic transfer of prescription information on discharge from hospital and from outpatient departments to community pharmacies.

• Patient access and the development of medicines related functionality in the NHS Wales App.
• Shared medicines record – the creation of a central repository, where a person’s medicines information will be held. It will enable the seamless transfer of medicines information in real-time between primary and secondary care settings and between NHS organisations.

The DMTP team is working with the Centre for Digital Public Services to undertake user discovery activities with NHS organisations, to inform the development and design of digital portfolio products to ensure they meet the needs of the public and clinicians.

I will take each area in turn. In primary care, the programme team has progressed plans for the electronic prescription service (EPS), based on the platform developed by NHS England and is working towards a technical proof of concept in Spring 2023, with a rollout to GP surgeries and pharmacies as soon as possible after that.

EPS deployment in Wales will require private sector companies, which provide GP and community pharmacy IT systems, to undertake software development. Some IT systems will be ready before others – the rollout will therefore be planned and delivered in phases. It is expected the first prescriptions will be sent electronically from GP practices to dispensing pharmacies in summer or early autumn 2023.

We are also working with community pharmacy IT system providers to encourage them to minimise the use of paper, optimise processes and enhance the service provided to the public, including tracking prescription requests, so people know when their prescription has been received by the pharmacy and when it is ready for collection.

In secondary care, the all-Wales electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (ePMA) multi-vendor procurement framework was published by DHCW on 1 November. This allows NHS organisations to select from a national approved list of inter-operable systems to digitise their prescribing and administration of medicines on every ward and outpatient settings in every hospital in Wales.

All health boards are now in the pre-implementation stage of the programme to implement their chosen system as quickly and safely as possible. The first health board will award a contract under the framework towards the end of this financial year and will begin deployment by autumn 2023.

The initial feature requirements have been provided to the NHS Wales App development team and the first iteration of functionality is expected in the next few weeks. This will include repeat prescription reordering. Later versions will include the ability to nominate a preferred community pharmacy to receive prescriptions and the ability to track the status of a prescription.

The Shared Medicines Record (SMR) project has assessed a number of technical platform options and is on track to deliver a proof of concept by Spring 2023 – in preparation to share the list of prescribed medicines between GP systems and secondary care ePMAs (as they are implemented).

Work on defining all-Wales information standards for medicines information sharing has progressed well, and a Data Standards Change Notice will be published to health boards, trusts and suppliers before the end of this year. This will ensure a consistent medicines language is used across systems to enable the seamless and safe sharing of medicines information. We are keen to learn from others in this highly-innovative area and the SMR team continues to collaborate with other areas of the UK and Europe.

I will continue to update Members as work progresses.

This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep members informed. Should members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Senedd returns I would be happy to do so.

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 4 January 2023.

A world renowned contemporary circus is heading to Swansea while an international crime fiction festival will be held in Aberystwyth in 2023, thanks to funding from the Welsh Government.

The Circus Village is coming to Swansea for the first time, led by the internationally acclaimed NoFit State Circus in a partnership with leading circus companies and artists, and an international crime fiction festival in Aberystwyth will receive Event Wales funding for the development of the events.

NoFit State will welcome around 200 UK circus artists for a programme of collaborative professional development in south Wales. The Circus Village was first held in 2021 and building on the success of this, 2023’s participants will live, work and create together in a purpose built site with three Big Tops, culminating in a public celebration and 3-day Circus Festival in April 2023.

The event will welcome audiences onto the site and into the Big Tops to see new work created by participants of The Circus Village, alongside NoFit State’s current touring production, SABOTAGE.

Tom Rack, Artistic Director, NoFit State Circus, said:

NoFit State is very grateful for Welsh Government’s generous support for the Circus Village and Festival 2023.

Thanks to their investment, we’re able to expand the Circus Village project – primarily focused on skills development for circus professionals – and bring to it a public Circus Festival, allowing us to share amazing, innovative contemporary circus with Welsh and UK audiences.

Three Big Tops, four different shows – Swansea will have never seen anything like it. It will be an epic finale of an epic project.”

Gwyl Crime Cymru Festival is Wales’ only international crime fiction festival, profiling the rising stars of Welsh crime fiction alongside bestsellers and household names from the UK and abroad. It has been held digitally in 2021 and 2022. The first live edition is planned for 21 to 23 April 2023.

Aberystwyth, which is already well known as the home of crime TV series Y Gwyll/Hinterland, will be the home of the festival, and the aim is to establish a world-class, international crime fiction festival for Wales. The event will also support writers to develop new Welsh crime writing talent and to promote Welsh artistic life in and beyond Wales.

Alis Hawkins, Chair of Gwyl Crime Cymru, said:

The organisers of Gŵyl CRIME CYMRU Festival – until now an online-only festival – are thrilled that support from Event Wales will now allow us to stage Cymru’s first ever international crime fiction festival in Aberystwyth in April 2023.

We’re delighted  that the need for such an event has been recognised and we look forward to delivering the event in April.

Continued funding has also been agreed for FOCUS Wales, an annual music industry multi-venue festival, utilising 20 stages across a variety of venues and locations in Wrexham.

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden, said:

I’m delighted that we’re able to support the development of these home-grown cultural events which will be exciting additions to the cultural event calendar in Wales.

They will give a great platform for skills and talent development as well as providing even more reasons for people to visit Wales in 2023.