Joint service meeting the challenges of an aging population

An annual report on the Neath Port Talbot Community Resource Team (CRT) has shown that it is supporting more people to receive care in their own homes and reducing the pressures placed on local care and health services.

The report focuses on the performance of the CRT, a joint service provided by Neath Port Talbot Council and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMU) to provide support to people with care needs. It sets out how the service has supported more people to remain independent, reduced the need for domiciliary care and contributed to reducing hospital bed occupancy.

Last year, providing personal care to people in their homes contributed to a 52% decrease in the number of residential care home placements compared to the 2014/15 baseline data.

CRT services such as reablement and assistive technology also reduced the need for domiciliary care by more than three thousand hours and avoided weekly costs of almost £60,000.

During 2016/17, the CRT also supported 539 hospital discharges by providing personal care to people in their homes so they were able to leave hospital safely. This is an increase of 24% compared to 2014 / 2015 and has helped to avoid more than £1 million in hospital bed day costs.

Councillor Peter Richards, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Health, said:

“Supporting people to maintain their independence can help people to remain in their own homes and lead a good quality of life. Even though hospital admissions are necessary on times, where appropriate, it is important that people can recover in their familiar surroundings.”

“Both local authorities and the NHS are facing increasing pressures on their limited resources and so it is essential we work collaboratively to continue to deliver these services to our communities.”
Tanya Spriggs, ABMU Head of Nursing and Community Services, said:

“ABMU work closely with Neath Port Talbot Council as part of the Western Bay partnership, and one of our key aims is to deliver care closer to people’s homes. We know that most people much prefer having care in their own home or community. It supports their recovery and general wellbeing to be cared for in familiar surroundings, instead of being in hospital when they don’t need to be.

“It is encouraging to see that the joint investment in services across health and social care is having such a positive impact. As well as helping to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions, this partnership is also helping those who are admitted to go home as soon as they are well enough, and not be delayed in hospital.

“I am delighted that this joint service is making a real difference to older people across Neath and Port Talbot.”

The CRT was set up in 2013 to integrate and improve the planning and delivery of community services for older people. The service is accessible through a common access point known as the Neath Port Talbot Gateway