0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to Wales Today. Our headlines tonight -
0:00:04 > 0:00:06Helen Jones' husband Alun waited a fortnight
0:00:06 > 0:00:10for an angiogram after a heart attack -
0:00:10 > 0:00:14why are some patients waiting longer than others?
0:00:14 > 0:00:16and the row over the new road restarts,
0:00:16 > 0:00:20ten years after people were moved out of their homes.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Good evening.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38There's concern tonight that heart attack patients
0:00:38 > 0:00:41in Mid and West Wales are waiting weeks
0:00:41 > 0:00:44for a specialist cardiac procedure, because there is no provision
0:00:44 > 0:00:47within the Hywel Dda health board area.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52Cardiac patient Alun Jones from Ceredigion waited over
0:00:52 > 0:00:55a fortnight for an angiogram in Morriston Hospital in Swansea,
0:00:55 > 0:00:56although official guidance recommends having the procedure
0:00:56 > 0:01:01within 72 hours.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Mr Jones's wife contacted us with her concerns and
0:01:03 > 0:01:08has been speaking to our reporter Aled Scourfield.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11It should be a time of celebration for Helen Jones as she marks her
0:01:11 > 0:01:1326th wedding anniversary with her husband Alun.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15But the past few weeks have been incredibly stressful
0:01:15 > 0:01:18for Helen and her family.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Alun suffered a heart attack on St David's Day and was admitted
0:01:21 > 0:01:22to Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen.
0:01:22 > 0:01:28She contacted Wales Today about his experiences.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32He was admitted to the cardiology ward and was advised that he needed
0:01:32 > 0:01:35to be seen at Morriston for an angiogram within three days.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38The nurse said to us there might be a slight delay,
0:01:38 > 0:01:40we're looking at two days.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Possibly on the very outside, ten.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46We waited 16 days for him to be transferred.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48A coronary angiogram is a specialist x-ray that detects blockages
0:01:48 > 0:01:52in the arteries of the heart.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56All patients from the Hywel Dda health board area have to travel
0:01:56 > 0:02:00to Morriston Hospital for the procedure, which is in
0:02:00 > 0:02:02the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board area.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06For some, that can mean a journey of over 70 miles.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09The National Institutes of Health and Care Excellence, NICE,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11suggest that patients who suffer a heart attack like Alun should
0:02:11 > 0:02:21have a procedure within 72 hours.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24The Royal College of Physicians said in a report in 2014 that the lack
0:02:24 > 0:02:26of a cardiac catheterisation lab to perform angiograms
0:02:26 > 0:02:28in the Hywel Dda health board area was a clinical risk.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Three years later, there's still no facility at Glangwili to cover
0:02:31 > 0:02:36a rural population of over 370,000 people that includes
0:02:36 > 0:02:38the counties of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43I know of many examples, Mr Jones is one of them.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47And others have had to wait for excessive amounts of time,
0:02:47 > 0:02:56weeks on end, for transfer to Morriston for treatment.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58They are clinically unsafe, that is what clinicians are saying,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00and there is a need to increase capacity, certainly,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02for cardiac care in West Wales.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04I asked for an interview with the Chief Executive
0:03:04 > 0:03:07of the health board, but I was told he wasn't available.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09In a statement, Steve Moore apologised
0:03:09 > 0:03:11for the delay in treatment.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14He said it was the health board's priority to make sure patients
0:03:14 > 0:03:15were treated quickly, priority to make sure patients
0:03:15 > 0:03:17and work closely with the neighbouring health board.
0:03:17 > 0:03:23However, he did admit that the current situation needs
0:03:23 > 0:03:25to improve, and there are plans for a new catheterisation lab
0:03:25 > 0:03:27here at Glangwili, which will mean fewer patients
0:03:27 > 0:03:29will need to travel to Morriston.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32The Welsh government has told me it's awaiting that business case.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37Helen Jones says the development is well overdue for patients
0:03:37 > 0:03:40like her husband that have had to travel long distances and wait
0:03:40 > 0:03:42for a cardiac procedure that can provide vital information
0:03:42 > 0:03:45for future treatments.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47A man from Anglesey, reported missing whilst travelling
0:03:47 > 0:03:50across Europe has been found.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Thomas Llyr Parry hadn't contacted his family
0:03:52 > 0:03:55since the beginning of February.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00But North Wales Police say he's been found in Spain.
0:04:00 > 0:04:06A Gwent police officer has told an inquest
0:04:06 > 0:04:09he forgot to switch on a body camera which could have recorded
0:04:09 > 0:04:12the scene where a man attacked and killed Cerys Yemm in 2014.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16PC Sion Jenkins was one of five officers who tried
0:04:16 > 0:04:17to restrain Matthew Williams of five officers who tried
0:04:17 > 0:04:20following the attack at the Sirhowy Arms in Argoed.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Williams was tasered by police and later died.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27The Assembly Member, Neil McEvoy, has been re-admitted
0:04:27 > 0:04:30to the Plaid Cymru group in the Senedd.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32He was suspended from the group earlier this month
0:04:32 > 0:04:35after a tribunal ruled that a comment to a council officer
0:04:35 > 0:04:38amounted to "bullying behaviour".
0:04:38 > 0:04:44Mr McEvoy has apologised to the officer.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47People living near Aston Hill close to Queensferry
0:04:47 > 0:04:50in north east Wales say they are ready to oppose new plans
0:04:50 > 0:04:51to widen a major road there they are ready to oppose new plans
0:04:51 > 0:04:54nine years after a similar scheme was scrapped.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57They say they'll support an alternative route.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00The A494 links the motorway network in England with north Wales.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05Roger Pinney reports.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Here we go again, the first stage of a Welsh government consultation,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10and locals were out in force.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12And they're not happy.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16This is a battle they thought they'd won.
0:05:16 > 0:05:17It's a shambles.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18It's an absolute shambles, mate.
0:05:18 > 0:05:19Absolute shambles.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22This has been going on for over 20 years.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25It was on, then it was off, then it was back on,
0:05:25 > 0:05:35and we're still no further ahead.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Eight years ago, there was a public enquiry into widening
0:05:38 > 0:05:39the A494 at Aston Hill.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44It doesn't seem to be a significant amount of difference
0:05:44 > 0:05:47from what they were stating when we won
0:05:47 > 0:05:48the public inquiry in March, 2008.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51We have reformed a group and been looking very carefully
0:05:51 > 0:05:53at the different options, and we are ready for another
0:05:53 > 0:05:59battle if necessary.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02The road at rush-hour - bottlenecks happen when it feeds
0:06:02 > 0:06:04into the A55, which runs the length of the North Wales
0:06:04 > 0:06:06coast to Holyhead. So why does this matter?
0:06:06 > 0:06:10This is the single most important road for the North Wales economy.
0:06:10 > 0:06:16It connects the region to the north-west of England.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18There are 8 million people, and two international airports
0:06:18 > 0:06:21within an hour of here.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24We have been here before. They've been looking for a solution
0:06:24 > 0:06:27to Deeside's traffic problems for 30 years.
0:06:27 > 0:06:28These homes were compulsorily purchased to allow
0:06:28 > 0:06:30the last idea to go ahead.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35A plan that was scrapped after the enquiry.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Now, new homes are being built there, but this time
0:06:38 > 0:06:40there is a second option.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42On this map, the Aston Hill route is coloured blue,
0:06:42 > 0:06:47it runs through Queensferry to the A55.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51The alternative red route would take traffic over the River Dee,
0:06:51 > 0:07:01connecting through countryside to the A55.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07They like the Flincher Bridge plan, although people living near it
0:07:07 > 0:07:08would be less impressed.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09What about business?
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Ashka Cabani chairs a business form that represents 1000 businesses
0:07:11 > 0:07:13employing 25,000 people. He is backing the blue route.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16It looks right to me. It looks right for most businesses.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20Why change something that we already have a plan for?
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Ten years ago, they were going to do this.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24They dropped it.
0:07:24 > 0:07:30So just continue, bite the bullet and go for it,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33and build the motorway we need so desperately for North Wales.
0:07:33 > 0:07:34So battle lines are drawn, then.
0:07:34 > 0:07:40And this is just the start of the process.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Football, and two results for you tonight.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45Newport County drew 1-1 at home against Luton.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48They remain second from bottom of League Two.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Meanwhile in the National League, Wrexham picked up one point
0:07:50 > 0:07:52after a 1-1 draw at Barrow.
0:07:52 > 0:07:58Lets get tonight's weather forecast here's Derek Brockway.
0:07:58 > 0:07:59Hello again.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Well, it doesn't feel much like spring at the moment.
0:08:02 > 0:08:03Sunshine and heavy showers today.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08Tonight, some heavy rain and snow on higher ground.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Tonight, some wet weather with most of the snow on ground
0:08:12 > 0:08:15above 300 metres, or 1000 feet.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Getting drier in the west later on tonight with temperatures
0:08:17 > 0:08:19dipping as low as one Celsius.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Tomorrow, more rain for parts of the North,
0:08:21 > 0:08:22mid Wales and the East.
0:08:22 > 0:08:27Sleet and snow in places, too.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Most of the snow on the hills and mountains but in the South West,
0:08:31 > 0:08:32some sunshine and a few showers.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Across the rest of the UK, icy in Scotland in the morning.
0:08:35 > 0:08:41Some wet weather for Northern England
0:08:41 > 0:08:43spreading into southern Scotland, towards Belfast, some heavy rain,
0:08:43 > 0:08:48sleet and snow in places, too, and also some rain for central
0:08:48 > 0:08:54and southern England spreading north was during the day.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Brightening up in the South with some sunshine and a few showers.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59The North of Scotland bright with some sunshine
0:08:59 > 0:09:00and wintry showers.
0:09:00 > 0:09:07Seven Celsius in Liverpool.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09In Wales tomorrow afternoon, some rain in the North,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11further south brighter with showers and some sunshine.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14The temperature below average, at only eight Celsius in Aberystwyth
0:09:14 > 0:09:17and the wind generally lighter than today.
0:09:17 > 0:09:24Tomorrow night, rain in the North will clear,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26and elsewhere, dry enough and cold enough for
0:09:26 > 0:09:27a frost in Ceredigion.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28Generally drier on Thursday.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30A few showers, especially in the north and East.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32The best of the sunshine in the South West.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34There will be a chilly north-easterly breeze.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37A risk of some rain at times in the South on Friday.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Elsewhere, dry and bright again with a north-easterly wind.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41High pressure takes control as we head into the weekend.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43That means drier and sunnier weather on Saturday.
0:09:43 > 0:09:53Warmer, too, but chilly at night with a touch of frost.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55That's Wales Today. Thank you for watching.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59From all of us on the programme, goodnight.