By Tony Woolway One of Wales' busiest casualty hospitals is considering asking persistently troublesome patients to sign a code of conduct.

By Madeleine Brindley A teenager was told she was "too fat" for surgery just 90 minutes before her tonsils were due to be removed. Jessica Pearce, 19, last night described the way she was treated by staff at the Royal Gwent Hospital, in Newport as "unfair and insulting".

By Madeleine Brindley In nhs terms, the winter season is just two weeks old but already Wales' largest hospitals are starting to buckle under the strain.

By Madeleine Brindley A LEADING Labour AM has urged the new Health Minister Edwina Hart not to halt plans to reconfigure health services in Gwent. Rhodri Morgan last week called a temporary halt to plans to reshape hospital services across Wales, amid huge opposition to the plans.

By Madeleine Brindley Plaid cymru has vowed to stop the controversial hospital reconfiguration process, if it wins power in May. The party said it would start the change process again, but place more emphasis on community-based health services and draw up a contract outlining patients' rights.