10/01/2017 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today. Our top stories:

A new treatment fund to get new drugs to patients more quickly.

Welcome news for people who've suffered delays in getting

It would enable me to get on with my life a bit easier

But there'll be disappointment for some patients still waiting

Swansea's billion pound tidal lagoon.

More than 20 companies urge the UK Government to give the go ahead.

Euro 2016 saw famous faces in the arrivals lounge -

Cardiff Airport lands a 16% increase in passengers.

In tonight's sport: Alex Thomson from Bangor in the toughest sporting

event in the world - sailing around the globe non-stop,

You certainly feel isolated when you are down here.

There is nobody to rescue you, nobody to help you,

The only things around you are birds and albatrosses.

And Diana and Pavarotti leant their support in the early days.

The founder of Ty Hafan children's hospice, Suzanne Goodall,

Patients in Wales will get access to new medicines more quickly

than any other part of the UK following the launch

That's according to the Health Secretary,

who's announced an extra ?16 million a year to help patients

access new medicines within two months of them

It follows concerns that health boards have been too slow

Here's our health correspondent Owain Clarke.

Even though he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 20 years ago,

Simon from Llantrisant has always tried to live life to the full. He's

travelled the world. I've sat with the mountain gorillas in Rwanda,

watched humpback whales of Alaska. But those experiences are now just

memories. It is a struggle to get showered, to get washed and changed

in the morning. Even a simple task like that just completely wipe you

out. But he thinks a drug which helps ease muscle spasms could help

him. It was recommended for use in the Welsh NHS to under half years

ago but Simon blames a row about who pays for it means his doctor has not

been able to prescribe it. It is extremely frustrating. I've actually

been off work for the last six weeks and the thought that this drug could

possibly help me with the spasms to the point where it would enable me

to get on with my life a bit easier. Hundreds of new drugs and treatments

are developed every year but the NHS can't afford to pay for them all so

it is the responsibility of two expert organisations to assess the

benefits and the cost. They are called the National Institute for

health and care excellence and the all Wales medicines strategy group.

If they say no, you either have to be a special case for treatment or

pay for it privately. But if they decided treatment is cost-effective,

it should be on the NHS as a matter of course. But that doesn't always

happen straightaway. There have been significant challenges by health

boards in terms of their planning. And there ability to Horizon scan

these medicines. I think today perhaps will remove some of the

obstacles to the challenges that the health boards found themselves

facing in terms of the financial challenges. The Welsh government

will give the NHS an extra ?60 million a year to start delivering

new medicines within two months while health boards plan how to pay

for them over the longer term. If you have a really high cost medicine

which is approved, you can then have a timeline with different health

boards being able to deliver that medicine. This will mean that there

will be a consistent delivery across the country. He also says the system

here can be used to treat all conditions and will be fairer than

in England and Scotland, where drugs funds are in place but for specific

conditions like cancer or rarer illnesses. So ground-breaking stuff?

Genuinely ground-breaking. Better than the system in England,

Scotland, more effective, and people will receive the proven medication

on a much quicker basis. But patients hoping this fund will play

for unapproved drugs that could help them will be disappointed. If we

simply decided that regardless of the price, anything will be

available, we would be very quickly in trouble with our inability to

control the drugs budget. But others insist they needs to be other

investment. It is that broader ongoing support that people will

need from their nurses, from their neurologist, from appointments.

Since April this year, 35 new treatments have been approved for

use in the Welsh NHS to help patients with conditions ranging

from arthritis to HIV. The pace at which new medicines are developed is

phenomenal. The problem is that the NHS at times has struggled to keep

up. We've reported many times of people

moving to England to get drugs that What's the impact of this

announcement on them? Many of those stories about patients

who wanted access to cancer medicines in particular in England

from the English Cancer Drugs Fund, that fund was set up initially as a

way for paying for often expensive drugs that had not been approved as

cost-effective. But the costs of that fund spiralled. It was changed

quite significantly. And now decisions about costs are central to

it. The Welsh government tell me if you just look at cancer medicines,

for example, if they now get funded through the revised English

mechanism, they will also come under the new wealth fund, so there will

be a greater degree of parity, although the Welsh government will

claim its fund is there as it will be able to pay for speedier access

to all kinds of medicines for all kinds of different conditions. But

there will be people listening and watching tonight thinking, I have

got an illness, I know there is a drug out there, it's very expensive,

it's not been approved as cost-effective, will this fund pay

for that? The simple answer is no. They have to make a request to

another mechanism. It has been criticised as unfair and a postcode

lottery. It is being reviewed and the outcome is expected soon.

First Minister Carwyn Jones says there is no Plan B if steelworkers

reject the current offer being made to them by Tata.

The deal includes new commitments for investment at Port Talbot

but would also result in cuts to the pension scheme.

Plaid Cymru says it's unacceptable and it should be

Let's talk to our political editor Nick Servini.

Just yesterday, the unions called for politicians to stay out of this.

No sign of that today. That's right, and everybody will be aware of the

uncertainty surrounding the steel industry in 2016. Tata have given

renewed commitments for ?1 billion worth of investments. But the sting

in the tail for the steel workers is that there will be cuts to the

pension schemes. They will be balloted on this later in the month.

Plaid Cymru have been very vocal on this. They say conditions for the

steel industry are much better now than they were, these terms are

unacceptable, they should be rejected by the staff. That has

prompted an indignant response from union officials with a very blunt

message, saying to politicians, keep your noses out of it, these are

tough personal decisions. What we saw today in the First Minister's

Questions of 2017, which Carwyn Jones, not entirely listening to

that advice, because while he didn't explicitly urge steelworkers to

support the deal, he did say there is no plan B, he did say this is the

only deal on the table, and he did say this is the best way of

preserving jobs in the sector. He made it abundantly clear that he

believes the best deal for the steelworkers is to support this. In

truth, it was probably unrealistic to expect the politicians to stay

out of this. In other words, steelworkers can expect plenty of

people to give them advice now on which way to vote in the weeks

ahead. Thank you. More than 20 industrial companies

have urged the UK Government to go ahead with the planned ?1.3 billion

Swansea Bay tidal lagoon. In a letter to the Financial Times,

they say it could start a new era An independent review

into the viability of generating electricity from tidal lagoons

will be published on Thursday. Here's our economics

correspondent Sarah Dickins. This is how Swansea Bay's tidal

lagoon might look when it's built. Using the tide, the energy of the

moon, to generate power for electricity. Tidal lagoon power

wants to build a six mile breakwater wall that will trap water. As the

tide falls, it will empty, powering a bank of 16 turbines. The plan is

to generate enough electricity to power 155,000 homes for the next 120

years. The price tag is ?1.3 billion and the company promises to spend

half of that in Wales. It also says they will be 2200 manufacturing and

construction jobs. The lagoon was given planning consent 18 months ago

but has been held up because of negotiations with the UK Government

about the price it will guarantee for the electricity that the lagoon

will feed into the National Grid. The Swansea Bay project will be the

first of its kind and if it gets the go-ahead, tidal lagoon power wants

to build another five lagoons at sites including Cardiff, Newport and

Colwyn Bay, which would create 35,000 jobs in Wales. But it is all

on hold while ministers wait to hear the results of the independent Henry

Review into the economic viability of tidal lagoon power.

And the conclusions of that independent review

It has been very detailed, it has been going on for months, and their

team have talked to people across Wales and the UK about the

implications of this new industry, not just for energy generation but

how much renewable energy, at what cost, what it means for jobs and

what it means for the environment. We'll get the recommendation of the

review on Thursday morning and I'm told we will also get a statement

from the UK Government. In other words, we will hear what will be

happening to the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon and we might well here what

would happen to the industry after that because we know that the

company behind Swansea wants a network of about six lagoons across

the UK as well as things they would be planning abroad. And support a

day from 20 companies, writing this letter to the Financial Times. How

significant is that? They are 20 industrialists employing more than

42,000 people. I think this really shows the level at which industry is

wanting to see this happen on many levels. Some will benefit directly

from that, of course, but they really feel this is an opportunity

for the UK. One of the companies is one I have spoken to before in

Pembrokeshire that has really suffered from the decline of oil and

sees this as an opportunity for a new industry. These businesses that

have been tendering for work and have been talking to Charles Hendry,

they stretch the breath of Wales, friend temperature to Chepstow, and

also in North Wales as well. We need to remember that it would still need

a Marine license and there are significant lobbies in the

environmental and the fish lobby who are not happy with the proposals.

Thank you. A community regeneration

charity in Aberavon has had its Welsh Government funding

suspended whilst police investigate allegations

of a misuse of public funds. NSA Afan, based in Sandfields

in Port Talbot, is being investigated by South Wales Police,

who have arrested and bailed a 35-year-old woman from the area

on suspicion of theft. Work begins this week on a pump

to protect hundreds of flood-hit In December 2013, around

400 people were forced to leave their homes when severe

storms breached sea defences. It's the third and final phase

of more than a million pounds of improvements by Denbighshire

Council. Two search and rescue helicopters

based in Caernarfon have been temporarily grounded. Because cars

are being forced to carry out urgent safety inspections on the tail

rotors after an accident involving a similar helicopter on a North Sea

oil rig last week. A new replacement terminal could be

built at Cardiff Airport The plan was announced as a rise

in passenger numbers Four years ago, amid falling

numbers, the airport was bought by the Welsh Government

for ?52 million. Our business correspondent Brian

Meechan is there for us tonight. There aren't that many people here

tonight, Jamie, so science perhaps that there is still room for

improvement. Small airports in recent years have really struggled

and we have seen some go to close down. Such as Blackpool and

Plymouth, where they have closed down commercial flights. Other

airports have really succeeded, such as Manchester and Edinburgh. The

question is whether the Welsh government intervention can turn

Cardiff from a struggling airport to a larger, more successful one. There

was more positive news today. Few passengers using Cardiff Airport

in 2016 received a welcome like the national football team

returning from the Euros but more and more travellers went

through its doors last year. Cardiff Airport has seen

an increase of 16% in passenger That means over 1.3 million

travellers in 2016. That had an impact of over

?100 million on the local economy. Those heading to sunnier shores

today say they have noticed improvements from the investment

at the airport but want to see more. I don't know how much

is here when you go through now. It has changed from three

or four years ago. It's starting to be

a lot more places to go. We had to go from Bristol other

years because there has not been any The current terminal is more than 45

years old and in reality it hasn't fundamentally changed much

from what it looks like today. The limitations of the current

building is one of the reasons the airport is planning to build

a new one in the next ten years. We have invested heavily,

we have significantly improved the experience and the facilities

here but there is a limit to what we can do so we have got

long-term ambitious plans for the business and really

to enable us to get to where we want to be,

a new replacement terminal will be a significant part of the master

plan as we go forward. The airport is paying

back loans at commercial rates on money borrowed

from the Welsh Government It has already started discussions

with state-owned investment funds and pension funds

to take a share in the business which would help fund

the new terminal. But what would a private

investor want to see? Private investors are going to want

to see that they are going to get a return on their investment

so it's imperative that airport operators are able to provide

evidence that there is not only a current customer base

but that this base is going to be sustained, that there is a real

will for the airlines to operate These are the sort of requirements

the operator will need to give Cardiff Airport has a target

of 2 million passengers a year It will have to constantly

improve what it's offering in order to achieve that,

given the range of other There has been a debate ultimately

about what should happen if the Welsh government ownership is able

to turn this around. I spoke to the economy secretary today, Ken Skates,

and he dismissed any idea of it being sold on to the private sector

completely, or even giving up 50-52 the private sector. He said it will

continue to be driven by the Welsh government, but he said he will be

happy to see investment coming in from the private sector, those

pension funds in particular, if that means being able to help with the

infrastructure and the facilities. Much more to come before

seven o'clock: Alex Thomson from Bangor

in the toughest sporting event in the world -

sailing around the globe non-stop And Diana and Pavarotti

leant their support. The founder of Ty Hafan children's

hospice, Suzanne Goodall, has died. If you have a minor injury that

needs medical attention and live in North Wales,

you can make use of a new mobile phone app that shows

waiting times at hospitals. Live Wait is designed to relieve

pressure on busy A departments and persuade people to use smaller

health centres instead. Originally designed for use

in hospitals in Staffordshire, the Live Wait app now includes

North Wales. Type in your postcode and it

will tell you how busy If your problem isn't too serious,

you could choose to use a quieter What we are trying to do

with technology is do whatever we can to inform the public

about all the services At the moment it could be that

people are unaware that their local hospital has been upskilled

with regards to nursing staff or facilities so if they had to come

here before they don't any more. Eleri Pugh has brought her mother

to Bangor's A department today. She thinks relieving

pressure on staff If they come to a big hospital

like this, perhaps they think they can see a minor injuries doctor

or they come to the major A and they don't know who to see

so they come here first. But the minor injuries

units, they are good. The app designers believe many

people are not aware that A is not Staff say that although Ysbyty

Gwynedd might be closer, 25 miles away at this minor injuries

unit, there is no wait. At this centre near Porthmadog,

staff can treat a range I think people see the emergency

departments as the next option They don't realise there

is a Community Hospital out there that can deal with a lot

of conditions so they need to be educated and it

will work well, I'm sure. The most serious life-threatening

problems will still get prioritised in busy departments but for everyone

else, the power to keep waiting times to a minimum

could be at your fingertips. Tonight's sport now.

Here's Tomos. It's the toughest sporting

event in the world - sailing around the globe non-stop

single-handed with no help. Alex Thomson from Bangor is doing

just that and is contention to win Tonight, after 65 days alone

on the ocean, he's in second place, More people have been in outer space

and up Mount Everest than have And in the vast oceans, a Welshman

is hoping to make history - become the first outside France

to win the Vendee Globe. You certainly feel isolated

when you are down here. There's nobody to rescue you,

nobody to help you, The only things around

you are birds and albatrosses. 29 boats set off from the north-west

of France on November the 6th. Those that do will have travelled

28,000 miles across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans,

before getting back to the Atlantic It's remarkable that Alex Thomson

is still in this race. Yesterday morning, I was dozing

and there was an almighty bang, While in the lead, he hit something

and the boat was badly damaged. Alex thought he would limp

home in tenth but he has clawed his way back,

100 miles behind the leader with less than 3,000 miles

to the finish line. Alex Thomson's boat is built

for speed, not for comfort. He doesn't have a toilet,

no kitchen either, It looks like something

you might give your baby. Alex needs to eat up

to 7,000 calories a day. He sleeps no more than

20 minutes at a time. The reason, when he's sleeping,

the boat goes more slowly. It's nine weeks since Alex last

saw his wife and two young children # Crashing through the waves,

in a 16 mono hull. # Not a soul in sight,

but the day is never dull.# There have been other

high points too. This was captured by one of Alex's

rivals off Cape Town. Alex Thomson says it has been

like a war on the water at times He's completed 90% of the race

and this week we'll see whether a sailor from Bangor

can overcome the odds and win the hardest sailing race

of them all. A date for your diary,

and Lee Selby will defend his world IBF featherweight title

for the third time against Jonathan Barros on January

the 28th in America. Selby, who's from Barry,

wants to emulate the likes of Lennox Lewis and Joe Calzaghe

and win in Las Vegas. After a 12 month absence,

Elfyn Evans from Dolgolleau will compete in all 13 rounds

of this year's World The first round gets underway

at Monte Carlo later this month. The woman who spearheaded a campaign

to open the first children's hospice Suzanne Goodall founded

Ty Hafan in 1999 - a centre which has supported

hundreds of families For the last 18 years,

Ty Hafan has been looking after life-limited children,

young people and their families, ensuring they make the most

of every precious moment. And it was all made possible by this

woman, Suzanne Goodall. After retiring as an occupational

therapist, she spent the next 11 years realising her vision to set

up a children's hospice for Wales. Princess Diana became Ty Hafan's

first patron and persuaded Pavarotti to give a concert to raise money

to build it in 1995. Thankfully, with all the wonderful

people who have helped us along the way and very excellent,

committed staff and all our friends, Today in the chapel at Ty Hafan,

a solitary candle was lit She will be remembered for her huge

compassion for families but very much making sure that children

and families have the service She's in the fabric of the building,

in everything we do. This really will be her legacy,

that she has supported paediatric palliative care and brought it

forward so much in Wales. There are butterflies

dotted around the hospice near Barry that she founded,

a metaphor of the short but beautiful life they manage

to create for the children here. Ty Hafan is now in talks

with the Royal College of Nursing in Wales

to create an annual award that would recognise

excellence in nurses working Suzanne Goodall, who's

died at the age of 95. Sue's got the forecast

tonight and talk of snow Our weather has been fairly quiet of

late but by the end of the week wintry weather on the way. It will

turn colder with the risk of rain, sleet and snow for some parts of

Wales. Tonight, some dry spells, the odd spot of patchy rain, mist and

fog pick-up overnight. Not too cold at 6-8 C. These are fairly frequent

-- friends and they clear. The winds turn more north-westerly. These

isobars are close together, signalling colder winds. Tomorrow, a

few early showers. They should clear. Turning dry and brighter but

the emphasis is on the wind. Very strong north-westerly. They could

reach gale force along the coast. Six Celsius in Gwyneth Glyn ten in

Cardiff. But the whinger will make it feel colder than that. Tomorrow

largely dry but as we get into the cold air, a chance any showers could

turn wintry, mainly over high ground, but temperatures starting to

drop. And then the pressure chart shows this frontal wave coming in

from the south-west on Thursday falling mainly as rain but where it

meets the cold air, snow is possible. But huge uncertainty about

the position of this system. So this is a snapshot for Thursday. Don't

take the graphics too literally. Some brighter spells but the

likelihood of showers for some and where the front meets the colder

air, a Met Office warning that any showers could be a wintry mix of

rain, sleet and snow. Very hard to pinpoint but it will be cold and

windy. For the end of the week, we keep those north-westerly winds. A

coming from Iceland. These friends bring an ongoing risk of wintry

showers. Also the risk of thunder. I'll have an update

for you here at 8pm and again after the BBC News

at 10pm. From all of us on the

programme, good evening.