How is the Welsh Government working to assist the estimated 48 per cent of people in Wales with chronic or long-term health conditions?
Both ‘A Healthier Wales’ and the National Clinical Framework described the way that clinical services must change to meet the needs of people with multiple conditions and that specialist pathways of care need to come together, to support the provision of services that span many pathways.
Our strategy for achieving this vision is through the integration of our health and social care system and by placing a greater emphasis on prevention; addressing lifestyle and other modifiable risk factors through primary and and secondary prevention action to support people to stay well.
We are shifting leadership, services, and resources away from hospitals to increase the capacity and capability of community care to prevent and manage long term health conditions. We are supporting people living with these conditions to stay well and remain independent at home for as long as possible.
The Primary Care Model for Wales was adopted in 2018 as the agreed approach to organising health and wellbeing services in line with the vision in A Healthier Wales. Core to the Primary Care Model for Wales is person centred care and support with access to the right professional or service at or as close to home as possible. To achieve this, GPs, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, allied health professionals, social care workers and people working in the third sector collaborate through the clusters to both plan and provide people with a range of ways to access seamless care and support.
Information about individuals is shared appropriately to ensure services are joined-up and provided in a seamless and timely way across the community. Modern technology, local facilities and services are all used to help people lead healthy lives and to support those with an increased risk of urgent care needs, such as people living with several long-term health conditions.