Welsh public health experts in the UK’s only national drug testing service are warning that people may not be getting what they think they are getting when buying benzodiazepines.

Increasing numbers of people in Wales are being referred to social prescribing services, through which they can be supported to access activities like exercise classes, gardening, and art groups in their community to better manage their health and wellbeing.

A new state-of-the-art facility to house some of Wales’ leading experts in the field of genomics opens its doors today.

The same restrictions that currently apply to tobacco products should be applied to the marketing, packaging and display of e-cigarettes, according to a new consultation response by Public Health Wales.

New research from Public Health Wales, in collaboration with the University of Wolverhampton, has identified four key skills that help public health leaders to drive change and ultimately to improve health outcomes, especially for the most vulnerable in our society.

The Board is delighted to announce that Claire Beynon has been appointed as Executive Director of Public Health following a robust recruitment process. Claire will take up the reins from Fiona Kinghorn following her retirement, on 29th December 2023.

We are seeing an increase in infectious illnesses circulating in our communities across Cardiff and Vale. These illnesses include respiratory conditions, such as flu, COVID-19 and seasonal colds as well as viral infections with symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting.

Like most children, Alex Chmieleski from Bridgend, Wales, cannot wait for Christmas. But there is something he wants even more than a visit from Santa: a life-saving organ transplant.

The garden at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales has been transformed into a magical winter wonderland for children and their families.

Canolfan Iechyd Genomig Cymru (CIGC) in Coryton, North Cardiff officially opened its doors on 7th December, to serve as a cornerstone of Wales’ precision health ambition.

Social prescribing of things like exercise classes, gardening and arts groups is growing in Wales and helping to reduce the burden on GPs by connecting people with their community to better manage their health and wellbeing.

The consultation period runs for 10 weeks between Wednesday 6th December 2023 and Wednesday 14th February 2024. The closing date for the submission of comments is 23:59 on Wednesday 14th February 2024. The Council will also be holding a series of on-line and in person engagement sessions at which information on the Preferred Strategy and how to make comments will be available.

When:  Sunday, 17th December at 3pm; Where:  St John's Methodist Church, Breaksea Drive, Barry Island CF62 5TR; Tickets:  £8 which includes refreshments (pay on the door, cash or card); Contact:  Sheila 07932 523415

The programme is aimed particularly at community-facing organisations working to support older people to thrive in safe, healthy and well-connected homes and communities. Free of charge, it will be delivered principally via a series of webinars

We are keen to seek your views on proposals we are currently developing for the launch of a brand-new Section 16 Forum for social care services in the Vale of Glamorgan. We will use the Forum to provide support and encouragement to social enterprises, co-operatives, user led services and the third sector, so that they are able and willing to fulfil service delivery opportunities. Closing date for the consultation is 14th December

Public Health Wales welcomes the move by the UN climate summit to put a focus on health for the first time. Public Health Wales is working both inside and outside our organisation to improve sustainability and reduce the impact of climate change on the nation’s health.

The latest Time to Talk Public Health survey from Public Health Wales has shed light on gaps in understanding about HIV transmission and testing.

Public Health Wales in collaboration with Improvement Cymru and Learning Disability Wales has coproduced a new video and easy-read guide to support people with a learning disability to explain the process of being invited and having a vaccination.

A tool designed to increase understanding of the connected factors affecting a child’s educational achievement and a review of the mechanisms by which this affects health have been developed by Public Health Wales.

Funding to support partnerships from across the arts, health, social care and third sectors to provide high-quality creative projects that deliver health and wellbeing benefits for the people of Wales.