The Group took up this issue following responses to parliamentary questions, which revealed that implementation was the responsibility of individual NHS organisations and progress was not monitored centrally.

The Report’s Key Findings:

• Serious challenges to the delivery of psychological services, particularly CBT, to all service users with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, as called for by the Guideline
• Lack of focus on the requirements for more comprehensive services such as assistance with employment and partnerships with relevant local organisations
• Confusion and difficulties in providing improved physical health screening for service users with a diagnosis of schizophrenia
• Inconsistency in the services provided across Trusts and the potential for sharing of good practice in areas such as monitoring adherence to medication

The report highlights the difficulties mental health service users face in accessing what should be basic treatment and the importance in maintaining the growth in funding for mental health services.   The report is based on responses from over half of the mental health trusts in England and Wales.

A copy of the report can be obtained at: www.appg-mentalhealth.org.uk/appgmh-news.html

Philip "Silver fox" Schofield and Eastenders' Heather, actress Cheryl Fergison are backing the Diabetes UK Get Serious campaign

A shocking number of children are being rushed to hospital suffering from a potentially fatal diabetic condition, says the National Director of Diabetes UK Cymru, Dai Williams.

More than 120 children in Wales were admitted to accident and emergency departments in a year with a potentially fatal diabetic complication, leading health charity Diabetes UK Cymru warns today.

One hundred and twenty one children out of the 1,419 children and young people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in Wales were admitted to hospital with potentially life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), according to the latest available figures.

DKA happens when blood glucose levels are high (hyperglycaemia) and causes nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, rapid breathing and, if left untreated, may lead to coma and death. It requires urgent hospital treatment.

The UK has the fourth highest incidence of Type 1 diabetes in children (25 per 100,000 a year) in Europe and the lowest number of children attaining good diabetes control.

Diabetes UK Cymru is concerned that in many cases DKA occurs because Type 1 diabetes is not diagnosed early enough.

Dai Williams, National Director of Diabetes UK Cymru, said: “It’s shocking to see such high numbers of children being rushed to A&E with this life-threatening complication in Wales.

“We know from our previous research that specialist diabetes staff report an increase in emergency hospital admissions whenever there are cuts in services.

“Children and their parents desperately need better access to paediatric specialist diabetes teams.

“The number of emergency admissions could be reduced significantly with investment in appropriate care, diabetes advice and practical self-management support.

“The quality of life for children with diabetes is at stake so we must act now.”

The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include increased thirst, extreme tiredness, weight loss, blurred vision, genital itching and passing water frequently (particularly in night).

In Type 1 diabetes, these symptoms happen faster than Type 2 diabetes, often within a matter of weeks.

A 2008 Diabetes UK Cymru poster warning about the symptoms of DKA is available free of charge from: Diabetes UK Cymru on 029 20668276 or email wales@diabetes.org.uk.

Michaelston Community College - 28 per cent saving on CO2

In the last three years a total of 66 separate energy efficiency projects have been completed in 53 council buildings as the council works towards cutting CO2 emissions and reducing energy bills.

Examples include loft and cavity wall insulation, heating controls, pool covers on swimming pools to reduce heating and ventilation costs and motor controls on pool pumps and ventilation fans.

Compared to 2005-06 the council has seen around a 12.5 per cent reduction in energy use and CO2 emissions for all buildings, receiving energy efficiency measures, falling by 11.6 per cent. This equates to an annual saving of £264,126.

There have been some shining individual examples of reduction in C02 emissions at Llanishen High School (18 per cent). Llanishen Leisure Centre (21 per cent), Michaelston Community College (28 per cent) and Willcox House (22 per cent).

Cardiff Council has made a commitment to reduce 60 per cent of the authority’s carbon emissions from non domestic buildings and waste by 2018 and is the first local authority in Wales to set such an ambitious target. Further measures such as insulation, heating controls, lighting upgrades and replacement of inefficient hot water systems, are set to be implemented in schools.

The Council is now looking at future carbon reduction initiatives and strategies to achieve existing and future carbon reduction targets.

It has joined the 10:10 campaign which aims to achieve a 10 per cent in UK carbon emissions in 2010 and is looking to becoming involved in the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme which aims to give incentives to improve energy by directly rewarding energy savings.

Cardiff Council leader Rodney Berman, said: “Cardiff Council is making excellent progress in reducing its carbon emissions. This is a hugely important project as it not only is vital for the environment that we meet our targets but in doing so the council will make significant efficiency savings at the same time.

“While we have short-term targets this is very much a long term project and, for example, the UK Climate Change Act has set targets for local authorities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. Public sector organisations currently account for approximately five per cent of the UK’s overall carbon emissions – equivalent to around 21 million tonnes of CO2 and the Council is fully committed in working towards meeting our targets and tackling this major environmental challenge.”

The new Park and Ride in the east of Cardiff is proving to be extremely popular, with the numbers of people using it rising each week.

Since its launch on October 19, the weekly number of cars using the Park and Ride has more than doubled, with the latest count showing 1548 drivers taking advantage of the service from November 16 to 22.

Both commuters and shoppers are finding the Cardiff East Park and Ride invaluable and the approaching festive season, coupled with the recent opening of St David’s, has boosted figures significantly with more than 6000 vehicles using the service.

Councillor Delme Bowen, Executive member for Traffic and Transportation, said: “People are realising just how easy the new Park and Ride makes it to get in and out of the city centre and I am getting nothing but positive feedback about it.

“It’s great to see people actively seeking alternative travel solutions to get into Cardiff to help reduce congestion problems and carbon emissions. The Cardiff East Park and Ride looks to be a resounding success.”

Based just off the A48 (Eastern Avenue) the Cardiff East Park and Ride can be accessed from the Pentwyn Interchange. It has 340 car parking spaces, including 19 disabled spaces, with buses running every 15 minutes direct to Dumfries Place at the end of Queen Street (next to Sainsburys) via a dedicated bus lane.

The bus journey gives people a quick and environmentally friendly way of travelling into Cardiff city centre, with the amount of spaces to be eventually extended to 1100.

The cost of the Park and Ride for all-day parking is £2.50 per car with buses running from 7am to 8.30pm Monday to Friday (Thursdays 7am to 10.30pm), Saturdays 9am to 7pm and Sundays 9am to 5.30pm. The buses are low-floor, wheelchair accessible and able to take prams.

There is a Park and Ride bus every fifteen From Monday to Friday the service operates from 7am until 8.30pm and 10.30pm on Thursdays. On Saturdays buses run from 9am to 7pm and on Sundays from 9am until 5.30pm.

The new Park and Ride is part of Cardiff Council’s Sustainable Travel City initiative, which is partly funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, and links in with the ‘Free B’ shuttle bus, which helps in getting people between key points in the city centre, with a bus every 10 minutes.

Cardiff East Park and Ride also links up with existing Park and Ride facilities which are available to the west of the city at the new Cardiff City stadium in Leckwith.

Opening times are 7.30am to 7.30pm Monday to Saturday, except on match days.

At the weekend the regular Cardiff South and Cardiff North Park and Ride services are in operation. On Saturday these run from both County Hall and Crown Way from 9am to 6pm and on Sunday from 10am to 5.30pm (Cardiff North Park and Ride,is open on Sundays until January 3 for the Christmas period).

The Parkes telescope - one of the largest in the world

A group of Cardiff students took control of one of the world’s most powerful radio telescopes this week as part of an innovative Cardiff University astronomy link-up.

AS and A-level students from Cardiff schools including Whitchurch High and Howells visited the University’s School of Physics and Astronomy which is playing host to the Parkes telescope, one of the world’s most powerful radio telescopes.

The 64m radio telescope, situated 400km west of Sydney, Australia was used to receive the television transmission of the Apollo 11 moon walk in 1969 and allows astronomers the chance to observe pulsars, along with a whole host of other astronomical observations.

By remotely accessing the radio telescope and working directly with the telescope’s Australian-based operators, students will be given the chance to view pulsars – which are spinning, magnetised neutron stars, left over from massive star explosions.

Pulsars spin and emit radio waves in beams from their poles. The spinning causes the beams to sweep across the Earth, creating pulses of radio waves. By taking control of the telescopes the students have the chance to witness first-hand some of the most striking images and undertake real-time scientific research.

Mr Chris North, from Cardiff University’s School of Physics and Astronomy, said: “Pulse@Parkes is an innovative project that allows students interested in astronomy a unique opportunity to take control of one of the world’s most powerful radio telescope. We are delighted to be hosting it here in Cardiff for its first visit to the UK.

“The students will have the chance to take part in real science with the measurements adding to an archive which may eventually help scientists detect the elusive gravitational waves predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity.”

The event is open to A-level and AS-level students with a keen interest in astronomy. The measurements used by the students will also form part of an archive of data that is used to monitor and record the characteristics of pulsars throughout our galaxy, such their distance, their rate of spin and any unusual characteristics.

Cardiff University’s Astronomy Group carries out research in many areas of astronomy, in particular the formation of stars, the origin and evolution of galaxies and the cosmic microwave background.

The University’s School of Physics and Astronomy has one of the most active Gravitational Physics Groups, and remains one of the largest research groups in the School. The Group’s search for gravitational waves is focused on transient events such as supernovae and binary neutron stars and black holes, and stochastic gravitational waves.

The move comes ahead of the usual December announcement of inflationary price increases over the Severn Bridges for the following financial year.

Commenting, Jenny said:

“A toll price hike would be another body blow to businesses, commuters and visitors to Wales, at the very peak of the recession.

“It would be deeply unfair and hugely inconsistent if the government decided to resist increasing the cost of the Humber Bridge in England, only to whack up the toll price of the Severn Bridge into Wales.

“The Severn Bridge toll is a extortionate and really puts people off travelling into Wales, whether for business or leisure. At this time of recession, the government should be helping business and tourism, and should resist increasing the toll any further.”

Shadow Health Minister Andrew RT Davies AM understands the NHS Redress Measure – designed to make it easier and quicker to claim compensation after negligent treatment – is not expected to become active until at least the spring of 2010.

The measure was first proposed in July 2007 and received Royal Assent in July 2008.

Mr Davies accused ministers of dragging their feet and failing patients who received poor treatment on the NHS.

The South Wales Central AM is demanding assurances from the Health Minister that patient rights will not be compromised by the delays.

He said:

“No-one is expecting ministers to rush through bad legislation just to tick a box in their programme for government.

“But we are also not expecting ministers to take three years to bring into force new regulations they put at the heart of their legislative programme.

“The Measure was first proposed in July 2007 and received Royal Assent in July 2008. But it could well be almost July 2010 before it actually comes into force.

“Three years is far too long. My concern is that patient rights may have suffered as a result.

“We need assurances that ministers and officials are doing all they can to bring this Measure into being and that lessons will be learned so that future legislation is introduced in a more timely manner.

“Taking the best part of an entire Assembly term to deliver one piece of legislation is unacceptable and suggests a certain amount of feet dragging by ministers.”

The Youth Wind Band at St David's Hall

This Christmas will be busier than ever for the Cardiff County & Vale of Glamorgan Music Service ensembles, with no less than 14 festive concerts and events taking place, involving over 1,000 children.

The season begins with the Transitional Wind Band Concert at St Andrew’s & St Teilo’s Church in Woodville Road on Friday, December 4.

On December 9, 500 children from all over Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan will take part in the Music Service Christmas Showcase at St David’s Hall. Of the nine ensembles involved, one will be this year’s massed choir, consisting of 250 pupils from eight primary schools. All feed into St Cyres and Stanwell schools in Penarth, where the pupils have been busily rehearsing since September.

The ensembles taking part in the annual prestigious event are: the Youth Brass Band, the High Schools’ Orchestra and Choir, the Youth Big Band (“Jazz News”), the Advanced Percussion Group, the High Schools’ Wind Band, the Intermediate Brass Band and Junior Jazz.

Performances will include arrangements of traditional, pop and classical music, ranging from The Holly and the Ivy to Christmas at the Movies.

Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning Cllr Freda Salway, said: “The annual music service Christmas showcase at St David’s Hall is a real highlight of the festive calendar. It’s really wonderful to see the children and young people coming together to put on such a professional performance.

“A lot of hard work has gone into their performances and I’m sure the standard will continue to be high again this year.”

Other concerts scheduled for the festive season include the Christmas Celebration at City Hall, featuring the Youth Orchestra and Choir. At Llandaff Cathedral the Youth Brass Band will perform with Llandaff Choral Society. At the Wales Millennium Centre the Youth Wind Band will take to the stage and the Junior Schools Choir will perform at St Germans Church.

Jeff Davies, Head of CCVG Music Service said “It’s a very busy time for us but it’s fantastic to see and hear the talents of so many young people at Christmas”

All performances can be found on the CCVG website: www.ccvgmusicservice.org

It's not just Scrooge who can visit Christmas past...

It’s not just Scrooge who has the opportunity to visit Christmas past, Glamorgan Archives has many items that help tell the story of how generations before us celebrated Christmas.

Items include a Whitchurch Boys School 1891 school log book which documents how children were presented with an orange at the end of the Christmas term. The orange would have been seen as a real treat and was a tradition that was replicated in most schools at the time. Pupils of Whitchurch Girl’s school however didn’t have it as easy and in the school log for 1871 it notes that pupils had missed school because they were helping their mothers clean for Christmas!

The Roath Parish magazine from 1886 paints a more extravagant picture of Christmas festivities, describing a Sunday School party they write that “the tree itself was worthy of the occasion, and at least from one point of view, was so covered with toys, dolls and ornaments that its branches were completely hidden, and looked like a gigantic heap of presents.”

Articles in the Penarth parish publication show that festive food was just as important to our ancestors as it is to us today. A copy from1900 stored in the Glamorgan Archives gives recipe ideas for the perfect Christmas fare, including mince pies and chocolate toffee, along with a hearty recipe for plum pudding which requires a pound of potatoes, suet, carrots and of course the currants and raisins we use in Christmas puddings today,

The Archives also has a comprehensive collection of Christmas cards from the past. Christmas cards grew popular in the Victorian era and many of the Christmas cards of that time featured animals, including cats, dogs, pigs, and even monkeys. There are also cards depicting troops during the First World Ward.

Christmas is a busy time for Glamorgan Archives with many people researching their family tree to give as Christmas presents to loved ones and this year Christmas is even busier for the team who are currently in the process of moving to their new building in Leckwith. The new record office will open in the spring of 2010 and will see for the first time all of Glamorgan’s records being stored in the one location.

The new state of the art building is designed to ensure historical documents are kept in the best conditions and has been constructed to create stability in temperature and humidity

Executive Member for Finance and Service Delivery, Cllr Mark Stephens, said: “The Glamorgan Archives holds many treasures of the past, and the new building in Leckwith will make it even easier for people to view documents and to research items of interest.”

Insole Court has been under local authority ownership since 1932, and is now a thriving community hall, which boasts an impressive array of classes and groups to suit all ages.

In a little over a year the Friends of Insole Court have worked closely with Cardiff Council to establish a Heritage Interpretation Project, thanks to a grant of £42,100 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This has begun to tell the story of how the 19th century mansion was built by a family who started as rural artisans and became successful and wealthy local gentry during Cardiff’s spectacular growth and decline as a world-beating port.

Lucy Williams, Development Officer of the Insole Court Heritage Interpretation Project said today, “I am delighted at the progress made by everyone in keeping alive the fantastic heritage of this wonderful building. I really feel that by continuing to work together, the council and the community can continue to breathe new life into Insole Court. I am especially pleased that our volunteer welcome guides have already enabled so many visitors to learn more about the court and the history of the family who once lived here.” John Prior-Morris, Chairman of the Friends, said: “As citizens, we are fortunate to have intact and in public ownership this mansion which had its birth at the very start of the story that saw Cardiff grow from modest town on the river crossing to the greatest coal-exporting town in the world; a period that paved the way for its modern role as the youngest and fastest growing European capital city.”

Cllr. Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture said: “Tonight is our way of looking back and reflecting on what has been a demanding and exciting year at Insole Court. We now have a full programme of events that is diverse and encompasses the community. The staff and volunteers should all be commended for their hard work and commitment over the past year. I am positive that the relationship between the Council and the Insole Court Heritage Interpretation Project will continue to flourish for many years to come.”