Author: Rhys Gregory

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is extending the opening of its mobile COVID-19 testing units in Caerphilly County Borough, and moving between differing locations across the borough over the weekend. The mobile testing units will provide a walk up testing service to residents of the county borough. If you have symptoms of Coronavirus (Covid-19) – a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss of taste and/or smell, please call 0300 30 31 222 to book a quick, safe test. Remember these symptoms can be very mild. Schedule as follows: – Date: Operations times: Address: 04/12/2020 09:00-12:30 Former Aldi Carpark,…

RCT Council has made important progress in the process to repair Penydarren Tramroad Bridge in Trecynon – and has submitted designs of a scheme to restore the Scheduled Monument for Cadw’s review. The Grade II Listed structure, and the Public Right of Way it supports, was previously closed due to significant scour damage and structural steelwork defects that were identified in the bridge. The structure was then further damaged in unprecedented weather brought by Storm Dennis in February 2020, and the subsequent storm events which followed shortly afterwards. The Council is aware of the historical importance of the bridge, and…

Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, has announced routine testing of asymptomatic frontline health and social care staff will start this month in Wales. Lateral flow tests (LFTs) will be made available to test frontline health and social care workers twice weekly. Mr Gething said: “I am pleased to announce that we will now be introducing a programme of regular asymptomatic testing of frontline health and social care staff and others in contact with patients and those receiving social care. This builds on the asymptomatic testing of health workers in Wales to assist with outbreak control and those working in care homes.…

The Chief Veterinary Officers for England, Scotland and Wales have agreed to bring in new measures to help protect poultry and captive birds, following a number of cases of avian influenza in both wild and captive birds in the UK. The new housing measures, which will come into force on 14 December, mean that it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease. Public health advice is that the risk to human health from the virus is…

The Welsh Government is calling on people, businesses and organisations across Wales to help shape a new strategy setting out how digital, data, technology and AI can improve lives, drive sustainability and grow the economy. A series of blogs from guest contributors including Deputy Minister for Economy, Lee Waters and the Welsh Government’s Chief Digital Officer Glyn Jones will help shape the conversation. The Welsh Government wants people to comment on the blogs and provide feedback, which will be crucial in the development of the strategy. The aim is to publish the final version next year. The new strategy will…

Public relations agency Effective Communication has become the latest business to be announced as one of Chambers Wales’ Corporate Partners. The fully integrated communications agency has worked with Chambers Wales since 2017, supporting the leading business organisation with press releases, media opportunities, content creation and events. Effective joins at a very exciting time, following the rebrand of the South and Mid Wales Chamber of Commerce to Chambers Wales, which recently unveiled a new logo and a renewed focus on supporting the changing needs of Welsh business. As a Corporate Partner, Effective is amongst an exclusive group that shares a special…

When alcohol goes from being a leisurely drink to a crutch, the fun is relatively over. Alcohol consumption was the cause of 3.3 million deaths in 2012 alone. Yet, stats will not help you beat alcoholism when your inner demons haunt you. Beating your alcohol addiction is a challenging journey, but it is not impossible. When beating such an addiction, you want all the help you can get, but you also want to avoid becoming addicted to something new while beating your old addiction. The natural compound known as CBD may help you do this without causing you to suffer…

Travel between Wales and areas of the UK with high rates of coronavirus will not be allowed from 6pm tomorrow (Friday 4 December), First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed. Wales’ coronavirus regulations will be amended to prohibit travel to and from tier three areas in England; level three and four areas in Scotland and the whole of Northern Ireland, which is currently in lockdown. New travel guidance will be issued strongly advising people in Wales not to travel to other parts of the UK with lower levels of coronavirus – tier one and two areas in England or level one…

Virtual consultations across NHS Wales services are to be expanded to include virtual group clinics, for outpatients across primary, secondary and community care, the Health Minister, Vaughan Gething has announced. The use of  video consultations, called Attend Anywhere, has expanded rapidly over recent months and has helped to ensure patients continue to safely access healthcare services during the pandemic. To date, just under 11,000 GP consultations and almost 62,000 secondary and community care appointments have already taken place virtually in Wales. Virtual group clinics are the next stage in Welsh Government’s commitment to bringing care closer to home and will…

The Government of the British Antarctic Territory has announced 28 new place names in the Territory. One of them, Thomas Glacier (Palmer Land, Antarctic Peninsula), is named after Professor David N. Thomas, Honorary Professor at Bangor University. Professor Thomas moved from Bangor University to the University of Helsinki this summer. Prior to this move he had served as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, and as the Head of the School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University. The new Antarctic place-names mark the 200th Anniversary of the Discovery of Antarctica. These place-names honour those who have made an exceptional contribution to furthering the understanding, protection…