20/02/2014 BBC Wales Today

And that is all from us for this evening. Now on BBC

Good evening. The health minister has dismissed calls for an inquiry

into death rates at hospitals here as an attempt to drag the Welsh NHS

through the mud. It comes after the Medical Director of the NHS in

England suggested death rates here are worrying and should be

investigated. Here's our Political Editor, Nick Servini.

In the past few years, the families of some of those who have died in

Welsh hospitals have told us of their concerns about the Welsh NHS.

Today the euro has raised its head again, this time and an e-mail from

the medical director of the NHS in England to his equivalent in Wales.

He describes the high death rate as worrying and says there is real

concern about what is happening. He says there are six hospitals with

persistently high mortality which warrant further investigation. He

adds that he does not have adequate data. Figures from the Welsh

government show 11 district hospitals had higher death rates

than should be expected. That has dropped to eighth match. The figures

were published any bit to raise transparency following scandal, but

some are concerned we are not getting the full picture. In England

we adjusted the rates which drew attention to the

we adjusted the rates which drew Staffordshire. If there are

questions about the quality of the service in Wales, they should

probably be looking at things in a similar way. If you go to the

website of one of the hospital is you will find that the measures they

use has changed and it looks as if in some of the analyses, they are

missing data. The Welsh government says any suggestion the high death

rates are being covered up is ridiculous and without foundation.

The health Minister tonight hit back at the critics. All they are

interested in doing is diverting attention from the utter shambles of

the end the chest in England by seeing it is worse in Wales and we

will not fall into that problem. -- utter shambles

will not fall into that problem. -- England. Assembly Members watered

against the idea in November. It is one thing to investigate individual

cases where the patient may have passed away and circumstances need

to be investigated, but what we need here is a systematic investigation

to see what the root causes of these problems are to take appropriate

action. Gareth Williams is campaigning for a full public

inquiry into the state of the NHS in Wales. His mother died two years ago

and an independent review is being carried out. It is soul destroying

to see someone going through that. She was abused and neglected. There

needs to be a fool public inquiry in the style of the France's report.

They have ruled out a Wales -wide enquiry and have said the majority

of the people are pleased with the treatment they received.

The deputy headteacher from Cardiff who's pleaded guilty to three

charges of voyeurism involving children has been charged with a

number of other similar offences. Some of Gareth Williams' latest

offences allegedly took place at Ysgol Glantaf where he worked. He'll

appear before Magistrates in Cardiff next Wednesday.

Around 100 bus routes have been scrapped across Wales in the past

few years with many more under threat. Rural villages have been

worst hit by the cuts, and the charity Age Cymru says older people

could become increasingly isolated and cut-off from services. The Welsh

government says it's reviewing ways of funding services.

Isolation is a big problem in Wales. Older people will find

themselves cut off and not able to get out and about. Not able to

access the local services they need. We know a lot of older people rely

on public buses to get out and about. It gives them independence

and freedom. Four men have been jailed for a

total of 14 years for their part in a mobile phone insurance scam worth

?300,000. Christopher Surman, Andrew Patterson and Wayne Ghosh from

Swansea and Omar Mapara from Bristol, had all admitted conspiring

to defraud customers by selling false insurance policies to

thousands of people. Three others were given suspended

prison sentences for selling insurance without being authorised

to do so. They have been sentenced on the

basis that there was no intention of ever paying out on any of the

warranties or what purported to be insurance policies. It was a

complete: . -- con. If you live in South Wales, you may

have felt an earthquake at lunchtime. The tremor, measuring

4.1, was recorded under the Bristol Channel. The epicentre was south of

the Gower and was felt in Swansea and Llanelli, as well as on the

other side of the channel. Some people reported their houses

shaking. Football, and Swansea City held

Italian side Napoli to a goalless draw at the Liberty Stadium tonight,

in the first leg of their Europa League tie. On an historic night for

Swansea, they had plenty of chances to win the game. Manager Garry Monk

will head into the second leg next week with plenty of positives.

Claire Summers reports. Rafael Benitez and Garry Monk are

total opposites and managerial experience, the new kid on the block

against the old master. In front of the travelling fans, the Italians

showed their intent from the start. It was end to end stuff and Napoli

needed their own keeper just a few minutes later. Swansea got into the

swing and had a great chance to take the lead. He looked to be through

but just could not finish it. Swansea's pressure continued. They

did everything right apart from scoring and the captain had a

did everything right apart from chance to give them the lead. As the

90 minute approached, more chances but Swansea where unable to take the

initiative. Garry Monk will take much confidence from his team's

performance and the second leg could be even more exciting as his wife is

expecting twins next Thursday. Rugby, and in the Pro 12 the Blues

have lost at home to Leinster by 34 points to 22. The home side conceded

two tries before Gareth Davies crossed for the Blues' first try.

Staying with rugby and tomorrow night we'll be live from the

Millennium Stadium as Wales take on France in the Six Nations. Both

teams had a run-out on the pitch today.

France head into the match unbeaten having won against England and

Italy. Wales are looking to bounce back from that dismal defeat in

Dublin. The weather forecast for Wales now,

here's Derek. I am sure you will not be surprised

to hear this is the wettest winter on record in Wales with over two

feet of rain falling, beating the previous record in 1995. There is

more rain and showers to come with just a few showers here and there.

Snow on higher ground with a touch of frost. Enter tomorrow morning,

again, some heavy showers with hail and snow on some of the hills and

mountains. Some dry and bright weather as well. It is a case of

dodging the showers across the UK with hail and Sunderland heavy

downpours. -- thunder and heavy downpours. Three o'clock tomorrow

afternoon there will be a few sharp showers around with hail and snow on

the Brecon Beacons but some places will be dry and bright and a chilly

afternoon with strong winds on the coast. If you are heading to the

match tomorrow evening it will be chilly with passing showers. Enter

Saturday, some dry and bright weather and a little sunshine but

probably turning cloudy and damped by the evening. Into Sunday, a windy

evening with rain and drizzle and most of the heaviest rain in the

north-west and calming milder. -- turning milder. It is the wettest

winter on record in Wales but I can promise you a few sunny spells next

week as well. promise you a few sunny spells next

We'll have updates for you in Breakfast from 6:25 tomorrow

morning. But for now, from all of us here, good night. Nos da.

MUSIC: Theme from "The Deep" by Donna Summer