Author: Rhys Gregory

Pioneering work in Swansea means a complex skin cancer procedure can continue while patients are awake – for the first time anywhere in the world. Sentinel lymph node biopsies can potentially save the lives of people with melanoma by detecting at an early stage whether the cancer has spread. Until now they have been carried out under general anaesthetic. But the Covid-19 outbreak has created significant risks with this, leading to the service having to be suspended. So Morriston Hospital’s plastic surgery and anaesthetics teams have developed a technique using a series of specially-developed nerve blocks, which allows these biopsies…

Invasive plant species like Japanese knotweed cause damage across the UK, but finding them and tracking their growth can be time-consuming and expensive, especially along roads and railways.  Now, scientists from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and Keen AI, a Birmingham-based artificial intelligence and machine learning company, are developing a new artificial intelligence (AI) system that can quickly survey large and inconvenient areas for invasive and potentially damaging plant species. The team has been funded by Innovate UK to run a 10-month pilot project for the new system in two locations: north Wales and the Midlands. They…

GCSEs in Wales don’t reflect the needs of society as we rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic – and leave teenagers unprepared for life, says the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. The current crisis has illustrated the need for change to education, said Sophie Howe, who is calling on Welsh Government to further consider replacing the qualifications. Year 11 pupils will this summer be given GCSE grades based on evidence, including teachers’ assessments, after exams were cancelled because of school closures. Ms Howe said she hoped such an approach would be extended when schools reopen, arguing the pandemic has provided a…

Researchers at the University of South Wales (USW) have developed an innovative blood oxygen monitor after supplies of this key device became limited as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The team of researchers have worked under the instruction of the Welsh Government’s Critical Equipment Requirements Engineering Team (CERET), led by Industry Wales, which was looking for the development of a locally-sourced product. In collaboration with Welsh Government, Panasonic UK, and clinicians at Hywel Dda University Health Board, the device, known as a pulse oximeter, has been designed to be manufactured in Wales and breaks away from the standard oximeter…

A landmark agreement between Cardiff and Vale UHB and Spire Healthcare is enabling patients with cancer and other urgent conditions to receive treatment at Spire’s Cardiff hospital, allowing the Health Board’s main sites such as the University Hospital of Wales and University Hospital Llandough to focus on caring for people with COVID-19.  The agreement began at the start of the pandemic, and Spire Cardiff has just passed the milestone of treating its 1,000th NHS patient. The majority of the Health Board’s patients at Spire Cardiff are being treated for cancer or for time critical / urgent health conditions. People with…

Film Hub Wales (FHW) has awarded National Lottery funding totalling £100,000 to 16 Welsh independent cinemas and film festivals that have been severely impacted by Covid-19.  More than £1.45m of funding has been made available to support the sector across the UK, made up of £1.3m National Lottery funding, plus a £150,000 contribution from the Mayor of London’s Culture at Risk Business Support Fund. With months of potential closure and uncertainty ahead as a result of the pandemic, these funds will help cinemas in urgent financial need. To maintain vital income in the short term and keep in contact with…

UWTSD has secured funding through the Creative Europe programme of the European Union for a major three-year collaborative project focusing on Craft. The project was conceived and developed by Dr Shelley Doolan, Senior Research Fellow at UWTSD in collaboration with European project partners. Craft Hub brings together nine partner organisations from eight European countries with shared passion for Craft and cultural heritage. It is an ambitious collaboration that includes maker exchange residencies; community out-reach training and education workshops; touring exhibitions; conferences; a festival of Craft; a material library and a multi-media digital repository resource. Dr Doolan said: “This is a…

StepChange, a debt charity has warned about a ‘personal debt tsunami’ worth £6billion due to the pandemic which has affected 4.6million homes. With 1.2million people estimated to have fallen behind on utility, Linda Dodge, energy expert from energy comparison site SaveOnEnergy, has provided key advice to homeowners on what to do if you’re in debt to your energy supplier. Should I be worried about getting into debt with my energy supplier? Getting into debt to your energy supplier can be a frightening prospect, but you’re not alone. As energy prices rise, millions of people find it increasingly difficult to keep up…

Sports betting has been a part of live sports viewing tradition for many years. It reached new heights of popularity since it crossed over to the internet, with many bookers and websites managing and procuring sportsbooks that consist of sporting events worldwide. The purpose of placing wagers in sports is to have a more exciting experience and to earn money while watching your favorite athletic competition. Hence, analysis and some thinking are required to win a bet. Particularly now with how sports betting has evolved, with the many different odds and events that you can place wagers on, it’ll take…

easyJet has today relaunched flights from 22 airports across Europe for the first time since operations ceased at the end of March as a result of the pandemic. The first flight from the UK took off from London Gatwick at 7am this morning for Glasgow – the same destination the airline first flew to when easyJet first launched operations in November 1995. During the lockdown period the fleet of aircraft has been maintained in a flight ready condition to enable the airline to resume flights at the right time.  This means that easyJet also will relaunch 310 flights this week…