Cynon AM endorses findings of health and social care review

Vikki Howells AM has welcomed the findings of an independent Parliamentary review into the delivery of health and social care services in Wales, which suggests that more needs to be done to deliver seamless health and care services. 

The review’s proposals build on the Welsh Labour Government’s strong track record of promoting the integration of health and social care, which is very different to what is happening elsewhere in the UK. The report, published at a time when all the UK countries are experiencing high level of demand for health and care services that are becoming increasingly stretched, provides a rare opportunity to focus on solutions for the long term.

The panel’s report includes a renewed vision for health and social care in Wales, with action guided by four mutually supportive goals:

• Improving the health and wellbeing of the population;
• improving the experience and quality of care for individuals and their families;
• improving the wellbeing and engagement of the workforce;
• increasing the value achieved from the resources that are invested in services.

The report recommends bold new models of care with services organised around the individual and their family, as close to home as possible. It also emphasises that services need to be preventative, easy to access and of high quality. They also need to be seamless, and delivered without artificial barriers.

Cynon Valley Assembly Member Vikki Howells said:-

“I welcome this report and the call for further integration between health and social care services. The impacts of an ageing population means we have to get this right, and must all get behind the review’s conclusion.

“The Welsh Labour Government were right to protect social care funding not just because of the support that funding gives to vulnerable individuals but because cutting it has a huge impact on our NHS.

“These conclusions could not be more timely and I am glad that in Wales we have a Government that is looking to find long term solutions to the challenges facing our NHS”. 

 

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Notes

Full report may be found at:- http://gov.wales/topics/health/nhswales/review/?lang=en