Ministerial visit to pioneering services

Pioneering services which are making it possible for adults in Swansea to live healthy, independent lives in their own homes will be highlighted this week.

Minister for Social Services and Public Health, Rebecca Evans has been visiting the city to see for herself innovative services being developed as part of the Western Bay Programme’s health and social care integration agenda.

The services bring health, social care and the voluntary sector together to ensure residents get timely advice and support to remain as independent as possible in their homes rather than having unnecessary visits to hospital.

The Minister met with the team from Swansea’s Acute Clinical Response Service.

Thanks to investment from the Welsh Government’s Intermediate Care Fund, health and social care experts are visiting people in their own homes to provide the treatment and support they need  which is  resulting in fewer unnecessary and unsettling hospital admissions.

Treatments ordinarily administered in hospital, such as a course of intravenous antibiotics, can now be given in a patient’s own home, helping them to retain their independence.

The service also enables patients to be discharged from hospital early, allowing them to recover more quickly and receive treatment in the comfort of their own homes.

It’s boosting the health and wellbeing of its recipients and also ensuring more secondary care beds are available for those who really need them.

The Minister  also met with staff at the Common Access Point, which is made up of access and information specialists and a multi-disciplinary team who provide a simple ‘one stop shop’ for anyone requiring advice or support on issues relating to adult health and social care.

The team includes staff from physiotherapy, social work and occupational therapy teams, with district nursing staff scheduled to come on board later in the year.

They are able to work together to decide the best way forward for each individual  so residents get a better quality, more person-centred approach to meeting their care and support needs.

Minister for Social Services and Public Health, Rebecca Evans, said: “The Welsh Government is committed to investing in community-based services to help people stay safe and independent in their own homes. As part of this, I’m pleased we’ve

been able to allocate £10 million of funding in 2016-17 to support Western Bay’s health and social care services.

“The Acute Clinical Response Service is helping people stay out of hospital by providing treatment and support at home, while the Common Access Point project ensures patients receive joined-up care from a wide range of health professionals.

“Through bringing local partners together, Western Bay’s innovative, integrated services are making a real difference to local people’s lives.”

Cllr Jane Harris, Swansea Council’s Cabinet member for Services for Adults & Vulnerable People, said: “We have been listening to residents, carers and staff in social care, health and the voluntary sector to develop more sustainable services that better meet people’s needs.

“These services are an example of how alternatives to traditional care can prove better for everyone involved.

“The Western Bay Programme enables Swansea Council to come together with its partners in the ABMU Health Board and the Third and Independent Sectors to make a real difference to the quality of people’s lives”.

To find out more about the Acute Clinical Response Service, see ‘Bob’s Story’ at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0foBkOj2g08.

More on the work of the Western Bay Health and Social Care Programme can be found at www.westernbay.org.uk