Welsh Government Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies, will visit Llanelli’s Prince Philip Hospital tomorrow (September 20, 2018) to meet patients who have benefitted from investment in integrated care.

The Minister will be calling in to see the Acute Response Team (ART) who, by administering intravenous medication and similar treatments, support patients to remain at home for longer or help early discharge from hospital.

The work of the team is funded by Integrated Care Fund (ICF). The Welsh Government has provided £6.5 million in revenue funding to the West Wales Regional Partnership Board to support innovated and integrated models of care like ART.

It is a key driver for moving care closer to home, in line with the Healthier Wales strategy co-announced in June by the Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething, and the Minister.

Mr Irranca-Davies will later join a West Wales Regional Partnership Board meeting in Carmarthenshire, which brings health, social care, the third sector and other partners together to deliver integrated care provision.

Huw Irranca-Davies said: “Through A Healthier Wales, our long-term plan for the Welsh NHS, we want to see less reliance on hospital and more care closer to home. The Acute Response Team is an excellent example of this plan in action and it’s good to have the opportunity to visit and to hear first-hand about the benefits the team are bringing to patients.

“I’m pleased the team are one of the schemes to benefit from our Integrated Care Fund. We have provided £6.5million through the Fund to projects in West Wales, which support people to remain independent and receive care closer to home, and in turn reduce the pressure on vital NHS and social care services.”

Cllr Jane Tremlett, Chair of the West Wales Regional Partnership Board, said: “We are delighted that the Minister is visiting us to see how Welsh Government investment is changing the lives of people in west Wales.

“Through the Integrated Care Fund we have been able to re-model services so that there is a more seamless provision between health and social care services, which ultimately is to benefit the patient and support a quicker recovery, and where possible within the comfort of their own home.”