Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board, which now includes the Bridgend County Borough council area, will receive £22.7m from the Transformation Fund.
The money will be used to expand successful pilot projects across Cwm Taf and Bridgend to provide greater choice and independence for individuals, whilst reducing pressure on social care, GP surgeries and hospitals. Each proposal being supported by Welsh Government funding should improve people’s experience of care and support the ambition to provide more care closer to home.
Mr Gething said: “A year ago we launched A Healthier Wales, the Welsh Government’s long-term plan to transform the way we deliver health and social care. I am pleased we’ve already allocated more than £80m of the £100m Transformation Fund to back projects which can eventually be scaled-up to deliver the vision set-out in A Healthier Wales.
A Healthier Wales is the first time we’ve set out a shared plan for health and social care, which emphasises the importance of these services working seamlessly together. In order to meet the demands of the future we need to radically change the way services are delivered. We need to move away from healthcare which focuses on treating people when they become unwell, to one that supports people to stay well, lead healthier lifestyles and live independently for as long as possible.”
Rachel Rowlands, Chief Executive of Age Connects Morgannwg and Chair of the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board said: “On behalf of the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board, I am delighted to receive the support of the Minister for our ambitious proposal to transform health and social care across Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend. Our proposal, which reflects the current population needs and those of future generations, is the product of hard work by Partnership members over many months.
The £22.7m made available by Welsh Government is a significant investment to secure better solutions for people of all ages, regardless of postcode. Much of what we seek to achieve will be delivered by social value organisations and I am delighted that a considerable proportion of the funding will be used to boost the role of social value organisations already having a huge impact on the lives of people living across the region. The hard work starts now and we look forward to working in partnership to ensure our proposals deliver on time, on budget and make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Since the publication of A Healthier Wales on 11 June last year, £87.2m has been allocated from the Transformation Fund to projects across Wales.
Regional Partnership Boards, bringing together local authorities, health boards and other public bodies and community groups, bid for the money and will run the projects. The money has been allocated as follows:
- £16.5m for the West Glamorgan Regional Partnership.
- £2.6m for the Powys Regional Partnership Board
- £13m for the North Wales Regional Partnership Board
- £12m for the West Wales Regional Partnership Board
- £13.5m for the Gwent Regional Partnership Board
- £6.9m for Cardiff and Vale Regional Partnership Board
- £22.7m for Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board
Projects include:
North Wales Mental Health Crisis Care placing mental health practitioners with ambulance crews and in police control rooms and developing alternatives to hospital admission such as crisis cafes, safe havens and strengthened home treatment services.
Expanding Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Perinatal Mental Health Service which has provided specialist support to over 450 women in the last 12 months – helping to meet an increasing demand for mental health support for new and expectant mums
A new Integrated Care Centre in Cardigan, Ceredigion, on course to open this September to deliver sustainable health and social care services as close to home as possible
Launching in May, an innovative community pharmacy chest x-ray referral service in Llanelli and Burry Port that will help people with lung cancer to be diagnosed earlier.
A new Rural Regional Centre in Newtown covering a region of circa 65,000 residents. The centre will be linked with Community Wellbeing Hubs at several locations across North Powys.
A new community-based audiology service covering the lower Swansea Valley communities, enabling those with ear or hearing problems to access primary care without the need for a GP appointment or hospital visit
Home First, a project bringing together clinicians from the Royal Gwent and Nevill Hall Hospitals with Gwent’s local authorities, to speed up assessment and support those who are in hospital to go home as speedily as possible