Published15 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Jenny ReesBBC Wales health correspondent Consultant and specialist doctors in Wales have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay.The industrial action takes place from 7am on 16 April until 7am on 18 April.They will walk out over workplace conditions caused by extreme pressures, and unsafe staffing levels, the British Medical Association (BMA) said.Figures suggest these two groups of doctors make up 54% of the hospital-based medical workforce, though not all are union members.The Welsh government said it agreed “with the principle of pay restoration” but is unable to offer it until the UK government passes “on the funding necessary for full and fair pay rises for public sector workers”.The BMA said Christmas Day cover will be provided over the 48-hour strike, to ensure emergency care, but all elective or non-emergency work will be postponed.The decision followed a Welsh government offer of 5%, though the BMA said for SAS doctors (specialist, associate specialist and specialty) on more recent contracts, the offer was as low as 2.5%.Stephen Kelly, chair of the BMA’s consultants committee in Wales, said: “No doctor wants to strike, but the conditions now faced in the workplace caused by the extreme pressures on the service and unsafe staffing levels have left doctors with no choice.   Thousands of junior doctors begin 72-hour strikeThousands of appointments hit by doctor walkoutNHS head warns of junior doctors strike disruption”Fewer doctors now want to develop their careers in Wales with some health boards reporting vacancy rates of over third for senior doctor posts.  “Colleagues are now choosing to retire early, reduce their hours or move out of Wales where pay is competitive, and wards better staffed.” This action is separate to the industrial action also under way by junior doctors in Wales, who are also members of the BMA.Their third period of strike action is set to take place over four days from 25-28 March.Julie Jones, deputy chair of the BMA’s SAS doctors’ committee in Wales, said doctors are burning out from covering significant gaps in the workforce and patient safety is at risk. “People are waiting for treatment for longer than ever before, resulting in poorer outcomes and more time in the hospital and we all deserve better.”This result represents a profession that is not ready to give up on the NHS and its patients in Wales”.The Welsh government said without additional funding it could not offer more than the 5% increase for 2023-24.”We remain committed to working in social partnership with the British Medical Association and are available for further talks at any stage,” it said. “We will work with the NHS, unions and partners to ensure life-saving and life-maintaining care is provided during the industrial action, and patient safety is maintained.”More on this storyThousands of junior doctors begin 72-hour strikePublished21 FebruaryNHS head warns of junior doctors strike disruptionPublished2 JanuaryThousands of appointments hit by doctor walkoutPublished27 December 2023

Published3 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, PA MediaBy Jenny ReesBBC Wales health correspondent Wales is one of the worst countries for people surviving three of the six deadliest forms of cancer, according to new data.The Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce has compared 33 similarly wealthy nations in a survival league table.Wales ranks 32nd for stomach cancer, 31st for pancreatic and lung, 21st for liver and oesophageal and 12th for brain.The Welsh government said it is committed to improving cancer outcomes. The taskforce – a partnership of cancer charities including Tenovus Cancer Care – suggests Wales and the rest of the UK rank below most other countries for five-year survival rates.Woman with IBS misdiagnosis left with incurable cancerMum’s uterine cancer mistaken for periodsSouth Korea, Belgium, the United States, Australia and China were the countries that scored the highest.The six deadliest cancers are lung, liver, brain, oesophageal, pancreatic and stomach.More than 90,000 people are diagnosed with one of these six in the UK every year, and they account for 67,000 deaths – about half all cancer deaths.Image source, Tenovus Cancer Care The chief executive of Tenovus Cancer Care, Judi Rhys, said people with these cancers had a “shockingly low life expectancy”. Ms Rhys, who is also chairwoman of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce Wales subgroup, said: “The actions we’ve repeatedly called for – targeted screening and monitoring those most at risk – would have a huge impact on survival.”These latest statistics should be a strong reminder to Welsh government of the importance of prioritising and accelerating cancer survival initiatives.”She said “exciting developments going on” included a breath test that helps detect pancreatic cancer, which she wants more research done on.”Similarly some of the tests that can be used for things like Barrett’s oesophagus – which is the precursor often to throat cancer – we have some very simple, well tolerated tools that can be used which would be able to detect those cancers earlier.”We’re not rolling those out across Wales at the moment and that is a real concern to us.”About 15,400 people survive five years in the UK but, if rates were the same as the best performing countries, that could be as many as 23,775 people.The taskforce’s report suggests delayed diagnosis and slow access to treatment could be to blame.Many patients were only diagnosed after an emergency admission to hospital or an urgent referral after their symptoms become severe.The Wales Cancer Network published a three-year cancer improvement plan last year, including plans for rapid diagnostic centres.The most recent NHS performance figures showed 56% of patients were treated within the target 62-days of cancer being suspected.The Welsh government said cancer is one of the six planning priorities for the NHS and it is committed to improving cancer outcomes. It said: “The NHS Executive has introduced a national intervention that specifically targets improvement in service provision for gynaecological, urological, and lower gastrointestinal cancers – the cancers with the most challenging cancer performance.”More on this storyAs a black man I wasn’t included in cancer statsPublished21 June 2023Cancer crisis warning over long and anxious waitsPublished9 March 2023