Steve Duffy

Map showing drug poisoning deaths per 100,000, in different local authority areas of Wales

A record high mortality rate for #drug deaths in #Wales (2022-24), up to 12.6 per 100,000. It was around 7 per 100,000 just over a decade ago. Swansea and Merthyr by far the highest. NE England has the highest rate regionally across Eng & Wales ONS figs. public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

It's definitely interesting what factors are particular to Betsi. It has five times more people waiting longer than two south Wales HBs combined, traditionally areas with poorer health and lower incomes in the population.

That might be a factor but then look at west Wales, where you have retirees too.

Chart showing drop in 2yr hospital waiting lists in Wales, highlighting Betsi Cadwaldr health board and the rest of Wales

Two thirds of the longest hospital waiting lists in Wales are in north Wales. Despite a drop in Betsi Cadwaldr, numbers stubbornly high at nearly 5,400. In west Wales, no-one is waiting 2yrs+ in Swansea at all and fewer than 200 in Hywel Dda health board. #health #Wales #NHS

Never quite got what "an ear for music" was until I saw what he could do. Could pick out any melody. Him and his grandad both. 💗 (Still love listening to Primitive Painters too, 80s classic)

Childhood vaccination uptake has slumped to its lowest in 15 years. How did we get here? This looks at England but similar issues in Wales too. Online disinformation, ignorance and cultural differences all contributing www.thetimes.com/article/0ed4...

Chart showing response times averages for most urgent ambulance calls in Wales

A new way of measuring Welsh #ambulance performance - for around 15% of the most urgent calls - published earlier. Response to those having cardiac or respiratory arrest was within target range. Meanwhile 'lost hours' handover delays lowest for 4yrs.

#A-level results by grade in Wales, England and (always a little ahead) Northern Ireland.

Ozzy Osbourne funeral procession: fans and family mourn As thousands lined the streets of Birmingham, Sharon, Kelly, Aimee and Jack Osbourne stopped at Black Sabbath Bridge to lay a flower for the singer

He did his city proud and they did him proud in return. I can't remember anything like this happening in #Birmingham before. Hopefully #Ozzy family get comfort from how loved he was by so many. This was proper Brummie sentiment, and done in its own style www.thetimes.com/article/d246...

International net migration into #Wales estimated to be 22,700 in year to mid-2024. This is down by nearly a quarter but still driving rise in overall population to 3.187m. Figs from #ONS www.gov.wales/mid-year-est...

Remember seeing I-Level at Snobs in Birmingham. Still got the vinyl somewhere... Never heard of again!

Chart showing 38% of drivers keeping to between 20-24mph compared to 16% before change

Latest traffic monitoring since default #20mph came into force in #Wales offers more encouragement - drivers are cutting speed and only a couple of minutes on avg added to journeys. Even longest journey monitored (61km) added only 4mins. No results yet on air quality tfw.wales/national-mon...

Dyffryn House and Gardens in the Vale of Glamorgan

A first visit in many years to Dyffryn Gardens in the Vale of Glamorgan. Bees and dragon fly everywhere. A perfect afternoon for sensory overload.

Chart showing 2 year hospital waiting list over time. Produced with Flourish Studio.

Longest hospital waits nudge up again in #Wales after big efforts/resources had cut them down. Two thirds of 2yr waits in north Wales. The 1yr waits also rose. #NHS

Similar experience in Wales, with latest quarter (to March 2025) also showing continuation of downward MMR uptake trend for 5-year-olds seen since 2021. 2/2

Meet the antivax whisperer fighting the vaccine slump Professor Elizabeth Whittaker convinces reluctant parents to get their children jabbed — and has seen the horrors that unchecked diseases like measles inflict

Vaccine take-up in England on a downward trend - particularly in poorer areas (from The Times) 1/2 www.thetimes.com/article/26a8...

Plenty of worthy tributes to #BrianWilson, in The Guardian alone, but a gobbet from Alexis Petridis on one wonderful song sums him up. ( Lucky enough to have seen him on his Pet Sounds and Smile tours with his magnificent band. Lots of ❤️) www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...

We Traced Pope Leo XIV’s Ancestry Back 500 Years. Here’s What We Found. Noblemen, enslaved people, freedom fighters, slaveowners: what the complex family tree of the first American pontiff reveals.

The new pope's diverse ancestors include Spanish sea captains, black slave-owners and he's a v distant cousin of Madonna (that one). A beautifully produced delve into Leo XIV's family roots www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Particularly interesting how he seems drawn to trauma

Trent Alexander-Arnold addresses audience in Spanish at Real Madrid presentation England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold describes joining Real Madrid as a

It's a sad state of affairs that this is even a thing - 🙄 Alexander-Arnold speaks Spanish at Real unveiling - www.bbc.com/sport/footba...

Before Prince there was Sly. Loved those psych-funk jams with Larry Graham especially #SlyStone youtu.be/DyQenDEmhe4?...

Sign the Petition Halt the Installation of the Aqua Park at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Penarth

Petition against the development of a hugely damaging Aqua Park at one of Glamorgan’s best wildlife sites. chng.it/hBdbBxwLLR

Target to cut two-year hospital waiting lists in #Wales to 8,000 nearly met. But Betsi Cadwaldr still has more than two thirds of 2yr list while eliminated in Hywel Dda and Swansea Bay. Gen surgery waits highest in north Wales and it has all the dermatology long waits in Wales + most 2yr ENT waits.

Daryl Hall at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham on Wed 21 May 2025

One of the great pop-rock-soul singer-songwriters #DarylHall taking us on a 40-year musical journey in #Birmingham. He pretty deftly (IMO) adjusted his voice when necessary to tough demands he set long ago. Still a terrific show/band. Sara Smile simply beautiful. Added bonus of Glenn Tilbrook.

Agree. Unfortunately too many people caught exceeding the limit are in a tiny number of stretches of road, many of which are now under review. Suggests the implementation could've been far better. Compliance gen seems pretty good though. I find more considerate drivers in built-up areas than before.

You're right, it could v well be part of long term trend anyway. And stats people are naturally cautious. However if fewer serious casualties (at 20mph, compared to when most were at 30mph) then hope is outcomes could also be better. That data will be interesting whenever it comes.

Road casualties continue their downward trend in Wales and are lowest on record. For serious/fatal casualties on combined 20-30mph roads, these are down 16% in 2024 - since new default 20mph limit came in - compared to 2023. Good news! www.gov.wales/police-recor...

Can't remember a book that's made me laugh out loud and also at least once genuinely moved me to tears. Belatedly got around to reading John Niven's O Brother: a memoir of growing up, grief, suicide and regret. As funny as it's honest.

Workers repairing bomb damaged homes in Brook Street, Riverside, Cardiff after air raids in 1941. From Glamorgan Archives collection.

Good to be back at BBC Wales News to talk about the #Cardiff Blitz and #VEDay80 on #BBCWalesBreakfast. This
Glamorgan Archives pic is repairs to houses in Brook St, Riverside in 1941. (Book out later this year!) #WW2 #history

Glad you gave the gulls a mention. Quite a partnership. Henry Blofeld would've have had a heart attack!