ITV Wales blog
Mariclare Carey-Jones
E.coli outbreak
As soon as I heard, on Friday, about the E.coli outbreak in Cardiff my mind immediately went back to 2005 and the outbreak that claimed the life of five-year-old Mason Jones. Mason died after eating contaminated meat, and food appears to be the source in this latest incident. The Adonis Kebab House on the capital’s … Continue reading
Artificial lung development work brings hope to lung disease patients
We do it without even thinking, and if we didn’t we would die. I’m talking of course about breathing. It’s the most basic bodily function, but for the one in five people in Wales with lung disease, it can be difficult to do. So this week many of them have welcomed the news that there … Continue reading
Minorities in need of organ donations left waiting in Wales
Earlier this year my friend Andy had a kidney transplant. Thankfully for him he didn’t have to undergo dialysis for long before his operation. Many people spend months or years waiting for a suitable donor organ, and for people from black and Asian ethnicities the wait is on average three times longer. Despite the number … Continue reading
Family campaigns for Wales’ own paediatric brain injury unit
The first thing you notice when you meet Kyle Beere is that he is in a wheel chair and that he has brain damage. But spend some time in his company and you will soon see his wicked sense of humour. That cheeky sense of humour had been one of his strongest characteristics. He had … Continue reading
Listening in a different way: Deaf Awareness Week
Health correspondent Mariclare Carey-Jones discovers the many different ways of communicating during Deaf Awareness Week. As someone who works in a communication industry I spend most of my time talking, so I can’t imagine what it would be like if I couldn’t hear what others were saying. I suppose I would feel isolated and uninvolved … Continue reading
Smoking ban at Hospital Entrances
The song “smokers outside the hospital doors” by the Editors features the line: “The saddest thing that I’d ever seen were smokers outside the hospital doors”. Well it’s a sight that they will no longer be able to see in the Cardiff and Vale area. From today the University Health Board is banning smoking at … Continue reading
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Bipolar Disorder
If you break your leg and have it put in plaster, people will give you sympathy and hope you feel better soon. But if your illness is mental rather than physical, it can be a different story. Unfortunately stigma can still be a big problem for people who suffer with mental ill health, but the … Continue reading
Rest and Relaxation
If I was an Education Correspondent I’d be worried about the 3Rs, but as I do health there are only 2 Rs that concern me – rest and relaxation! Last week I took some annual leave and while I was off my mum and I visited a health spa. After a couple of massages, a … Continue reading
Older People’s Commissioner Report
Last year my grandfather was taken very ill and in October he passed away. It was a terrible time for my family and me. But the one thing that gave us comfort was knowing that he had had the best possible care from the nurses and doctors who looked after him. But a report out … Continue reading
Welsh Air Ambulance’s 10th birthday
We all love a party. So when I was invited to celebrate the Welsh Air Ambulance’s 10th anniversary at Margam Park I couldn’t say no – particularly when I heard it involved a trip in a helicopter and some cake! When the service launched a decade ago they had just one helicopter. Now there are … Continue reading
New cancer scanner to open in Cardiff on Thursday 17 February
Tomorrow, a cutting edge cancer scanner is being officially opened at the University Hospital of Wales, but I was given a special look around it today. Watch Mariclare’s report on the PET Scanner at ITV.com/Wales It’s called Positron Emission Tomography, or a PET Scanner for short, and it works by injecting patients with a radio … Continue reading
Zebrafish and Colds
It’s that time of year when everyone (including me) seems to have a cold, but as Health Correspondent I suppose that’s good news as it keeps us busy! We’re only six weeks into the year and so far we’ve had plenty of stories on the health desk. We’ve already aired a two part series looking … Continue reading
Health check: Housing and mental illness
Over the last few weeks I’ve met some very interesting people and heard a lot of stories from people speaking out about mental health problems in the run up to World Mental Health Day this Sunday. One of those was Emma Lewis, a mother who has struggled with post-natal depression after the birth … Continue reading
Health check: Dealing with the stigma of mental illness
The words ‘mental illness’ will probably conjure a picture in most people’s minds. But the reality is often very different to what we imagine. Over the last few weeks I have met lots of people with mental health issues, ranging from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia to post natal depression. None of them fits the stereotypical … Continue reading
What a difference a day makes
Last Monday I was blogging about plans to gently ease me into my new role as Health Correspondent, but on Tuesday afternoon I found myself reporting on an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in the Valleys. After a live outside the Public Health Wales building that evening, it was up to Merthyr on Wednesday to get … Continue reading
Mariclare’s health check
ITV Wales’ Mariclare Carey-Jones tells us what she will be getting up to in her new role as Health Correspondent They say that when you take off a plaster you should rip it quickly as that’s the most painless way. So, because I am feeling a little nervous, I have decided to apply that principle … Continue reading
Wales This Week: Poll shows 60% think immigration in Wales is too high
From ITV.com/Wales An ITV Wales poll has revealed that more than 60% of people surveyed believe there are too many immigrants in Wales. Wales This Week’s investigation unveils a great deal of confusion and ignorance about the issue of immigration – despite being one of the main discussion points in the last General Election. Watch … Continue reading
Elderly and disabled home adaptations helpline launch
From ITV.com/Wales Today sees the launch of a new helpline designed to help people who need help adapting their homes to save them from going into nursing homes or hospitals. Care and Repair Cymru say they have saved 10,000 people from going into care in just 12 months. And at a time of increasing pressure … Continue reading
Merthyr County Council criticised for handling of sexual abuse case
From ITV.com/Wales A council has been criticised in the case of two young children who were placed in the care of their grandparents following sexual abuse by their father. Watch Mariclare Carey-Jones’ report at ITV.com/Wales Merthyr County council have admitted they failed to follow child protection procedures after the granparents were refused financial help. The … Continue reading
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