‘In the Spotlight’ this month is Holly SanMiguel. Holly first experienced Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital as a patient when her son was born with a large ventricular septal defect, then served as a volunteer, before becoming a Children's Health Care Support Worker in the Paediatric Emergency Unit.

The Welsh Government is launching a national advice service aimed at supporting all those affected by suicide, and new guidance for agencies and organisations.

Rachel Day was described by her parents as a “truly unique character” who would light up a room with her beauty, humour and infectious personality.

RSV causes between 400-600 deaths in older adults and over 1,000 hospital admissions in young babies in Wales every year. The new RSV vaccination programme launched today (2 September 2024) will provide protection against the most common childhood respiratory infection for the first time in Wales. 

Annual General Meeting of the Public Health Wales Board will be held on Thursday 26 September 1.30pm.

In partnership with Pumping Marvellous | The UK's Heart Failure Charity, Cardiff and Vale Heart failure team will be at Cardiff City football stadium on 19th September,  offering walk-in heart health checks for anyone over the age of 40 without a pre-existing diagnosis of heart failure.

RSV causes between 400 and 600 deaths in older adults and over 1,000 hospital admissions in young babies in Wales every year. The new RSV vaccination programme launched today (2 September, 2024) will provide protection against the most common childhood respiratory infection for the first time in Wales.  

Health Secretary Mark Drakeford has today confirmed £7.7m to upgrade the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery as it marks its 30th anniversary.

Activities for September – December 2024.  Dementia Support, CrISP, Live Well with Dementia, Activities and Group Services.

MenoPals are working with the co-production forum to create education and support for men who have women in their life going through the menopause.

For carers of people living with dementia.  A 10 week group running at Castleland Community Centre, Barry, starting 17^th September 2024.

Public Health Wales extends a warm welcome to Pippa Britton OBE as the new Chair of our Board. Her appointment was announced today by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Mark Drakeford. 

As International Overdose Awareness Day* approaches, health experts at Public Health Wales are raising concerns over the increase in the number of counterfeit and adulterated substances they are receiving in the Welsh Emerging Drugs and Identification of Novel Substances service (WEDINOS)**.

Unafraid to question how things are done and to drive change that values both their patients and the planet, the award-winning Green ICU Team are successfully reducing waste, conserving energy and making financial savings.

ASC’s Autumn Training programme features safeTALK and ASIST workshops (Suicide Alertness & Intervention) as well as Talking Mats training (an award-winning communication tool which uses picture symbols to help people overcome communication difficulties). 

The second episode of Saving Lives in Cardiff will broadcast on BBC One Wales and BBC Two on Tuesday (27th August) and introduce three more incredible surgeons, patient stories, and highly skilled multi-disciplinary teams.  

Public Health Wales can confirm that there are no cases of Clade I mpox currently reported in Wales, nor any other variant.

A new animation produced by the Policy and International Health Directorate, a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre at Public Health Wales explains the concept of the Wellbeing Economy and its approach and application in Wales, in an easy to understand format. 

Response from Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Mark Drakeford

A young carer has heaped praise on the "invaluable" impact of the annual Wales Young Carers’ Festival as the event prepares to host record numbers in its third year.