The Programme’s Vision
The Western Bay Health and Social Care Programme’s vision is to provide high quality services that protect children and adults from harm, promote independence and deliver positive outcomes for people in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.
To achieve this, the ABMU Health Board and the Local Authorities of Bridgend County Borough Council, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and the City & County of Swansea are working together through the Western Bay Health and Social Care Collaborative, with third and independent sector partners. The primary purpose of the Collaborative is to provide a strategic mechanism for co-ordinating a programme of change in a suite of projects and work streams that partners have identified as a common priority.
The Programme’s Aims
The long term and primary aim of the Programme is to ensure services are resilient and sustainable and that there are demonstrable improvements in service delivery for all service users across the ABMU footprint encompassing Bridgend CBC, Neath Port Talbot CBC and the City & County of Swansea. Health and Social Care Services are currently over-stretched, with a growing demand and therefore the main aim of the programme is to make service improvements, to avoid service costs increasing and to ensure services are sustainable for the future. In order to do this the programme aims to achieve effective collaboration so that capacity is used in a more efficient and effective way, which will save time, resources, expertise and contribute to citizen improved wellbeing.
The key aims of the Western Bay Health and Social Care Programme are:
- To promote prevention and wellbeing from a citizen centred perspective, that will support and strengthen both the care delivered and the health and wellbeing benefits to the people of the Western Bay region
- To integrate services more effectively for the benefit of service users and carers
- To focus on the person through an approach committed to personalisation, independence, social inclusion and choice
- To fulfil a shared responsibility that adults and children at risk of harm in Western Bay are safeguarded against all forms of abuse by working together to keep adults and children safe and to promote their welfare
- To make service improvements, to avoid service costs increasing and to ensure services are sustainable for the future, in the face of growing demand and the current financial climate.
- To recognise that incremental changes to existing models of care will not be sufficient and that a bolder approach is needed to bring about innovative models that are appropriate to the needs of the population.
Governance
Each partner organisation plays a full role in leading and participating in different aspects of the Programme. For example, the City and County of Swansea is the lead authority for the Programme in terms of finance and Programme support.
ABMU Health Board and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council are jointly leading the Community Services element of the Programme, which also forms part of the Health Board’s ‘Changing for the Better’ initiative, while Bridgend County Borough Council hosts the regional Integrated Family Support Service. Engagement with third sector and independent sector partners is progressing strategically and also at a local level, where services are being delivered. Project planning and development has also involved wider partners and stakeholders.
Regional Partnership Board: The Western Bay Regional Partnership Board was formally established in 2016 with the first meeting taking place in November 2016. The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 introduced a statutory role for a Regional Partnership Board, although this was preceded by the Western Bay Regional Partnership Forum, which was originally established on a non-statutory footing in 2014 to progress and oversee the Western Bay Health and Social Care Programme.
The Board is responsible for managing and developing services to secure strategic planning and partnership working between Local Authorities and the Health Board and to ensure effective services, care and support are in place to best meet the needs of the population.
Western Bay Leadership Group: The Western Bay Leadership Group was established in January 2012 and comprises Chief Executives and relevant Directors for Bridgend County Borough Council, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, City and County of Swansea and ABMU Health Board. The Leadership Group steers the Programme and monitors its performance.
Programme Team: The Programme Team consists of Directors of Social Services and Heads of Services across the region, the Regional Programme Director and Project Managers. Its purpose is to ensure delivery of the outcomes and benefits identified within each of the Western Bay projects and provide strategic oversight/ reporting by exception of the “business as usual” collaborative work streams.
The Programme Team also provides leadership of regional implementation activity in relation to the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.
Project Boards: A number of boards and operational groups have been established to oversee the remit of each of the Western Bay work streams.
Regional Citizens’ Panel: The Western Bay Regional Citizens’ Panel was established in February 2016 with the aim of providing a strong strategic voice for stakeholders, offering a greater awareness of and involvement in the Western Bay Programme’s activities and a clearer understanding of how organisations can work collaboratively to deliver against the requirements of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.
Panel membership is drawn from the mailing lists of the three Councils for Voluntary Services in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea. Membership is ‘fluid’, ensuring meetings and any engagement activities are open to all interested parties (service users, carers, family members, representatives from health and social care related organisations, Local Authority Elected Members).
Accountability of decision making among the partner organisations remains with the Health Board, the Local Authorities and their partners.
