Spotlight on delivering social care in Wales

Delivering a future programme for the transformation of social care has been discussed by Welsh Government ministers and social care chiefs across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys.
The Minister for health and social services Mark Drakeford and chair of the National Social Services Partnership Forum, Gwenda Thomas AM, met the four county senior representatives together with officers from Powys and Hywel Dda University Health Boards and Pembrokeshire and Powys associations of voluntary organisations.
They discussed the readiness of the region for the implementation of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014.
The Minister and Mrs Thomas emphasised the importance of the Act in providing a statutory basis for the transformation of social care in Wales and the need for strong political and professional leadership during an ongoing programme of change.
They endorsed arrangements for delivering such leadership through the Mid and West Wales Health and Social Care Collaborative Board, and a current review of governance arrangement to strengthen cross-sector engagement and a sustained focus on the needs of individuals and carers.
The Minister and Mrs Thomas also visited the Transfer of Care Advice and Liaison Service Team (TOCALS) at Glangwili Hospital.
Vice-Chair of the collaborative board, and executive board member for social care and health, Cllr Jane Tremlett said: “The meeting was of real value to all attending and will spur us on to achieve the ambitions of the Act.
“The visit to Glangwili gave the Minister and Gwenda Thomas AM the opportunity to see for themselves how the team there is benefiting from the funding from the Intermediate Care Fund which is administered by the board.”
TOCALS provides an advise and liaison service to support decision making at the front doors of hospitals, as well as discharge planning on wards. The scheme has been introduced in Carmarthenshire’s two main hospitals, Glangwili and Prince Philip, in Llanelli.
Hywel Dda county director and commissioner for Carmarthenshire, Linda Williams, said: “Thanks to the introduction of this multi-professional team we are now able to offer assessments at the front door for frail adults and ensure appropriate care and support both in and out of hospital. This should improve care for the individual and reduce long lengths of stay in hospital.”
A self assessment of readiness for implementation of the Act is underway across partner agencies and the outcome will inform a regional implementation plan for 2015-16. This will ensure the ambitions within it become a reality in Mid and West Wales.