Health
Rapid response service helps prevent unnecessary ambulance callouts and hospital admissions

AN INNOVATIVE project which is helping patients in west Wales to receive the care they need as close to home, Delta Wellbeing’s, now has a rapid response team. The company says that this is helping to prevent unnecessary ambulance callouts and hospital admissions across the area by attending non-medical emergencies and supporting people in their own homes.
During February, the team, according to their own figures, attended a total of 407 callouts, with an average arrival time of 31 minutes, and only 6% needing to be escalated to emergency medical services.
A large majority of calls are for non-injurious falls, and the team aim to improve the experience and outcome of those who have fallen by working to reduce the time it takes to get to the client, to assess and support them at home, and to try and prevent future falls.
The service has helped to reduce the number of emergency ambulance callouts, enabling them to attend more life-threatening calls. It has also allowed the majority of clients, who are generally vulnerable or older, to stay at home, reducing hospital admissions.
The team is part of Delta Wellbeing’s CONNECT project, which is transforming the way social care is being delivered across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, through a new model of self-help and pro-active care, helping people remain independent for longer at home and reducing demand on long-term or acute care.
The service includes bespoke TEC equipment, wellbeing assessment, pro-active wellbeing calls, access to the 24/7 response team and pro-active support pathways, all of which, support residents to maintain independence and remain safe at home.
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care Cllr Jane Tremlett told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “The response service responds to calls within 45 minutes for non-medical emergencies, avoiding inappropriate hospital admission and use of ambulances, and ensuring clients who suffer a fall at home are not impacted significantly by lying on the floor for a long length of time.
“Research shows that the impact of falling is considerable, with a negative effect on independence and quality of life. Someone left lying on the floor for more than one hour is more likely to suffer serious injuries and be admitted to hospital, and subsequently moved into long-term care.
“Being able to attend site within one hour and lift clients off the floor not only provides them with the best outcomes but can also have a significant impact on reducing and, in some cases, stopping the need for ongoing support and care.”
Since January 2020, the rapid response team has attended more than 11,391 call outs; of which 37% were for non-injurious falls, 27% were for a ‘no response’ following an alarm activation, and 28% were for other assistance or welfare check. Figures show only 713 of those, or 6%, needed to be escalated to emergency medical services.
CONNECT is funded by the Welsh Government’s Transformation Fund through the West Wales Care Partnership and provides an enhanced wrap-around lifeline and telecare service shaping the future of health and social care across west Wales. A total of 5,703 residents have signed up for the service since it was launched.
Rhian Matthews, Integrated System Director for Hywel Dda University Health Board and Carmarthenshire County Council, said: “The older adult population tell us that what’s important to them is that they remain as well and independent as they possibly can for as long as they possible can and within their own home and communities.
“Through Delta CONNECT we are able to keep checking in on our vulnerable and older population to make sure they are keeping well and independent as they possibly can be, and when they are struggling Delta CONNECT is able to provide a timely response to their needs which allows us to put support in place before things become any worse. This helps us to avoid a hospital admission and protects their independence and reduces the reliance on social care support.
“And if someone falls at home or they need any type of assistance, Delta’s rapid response team works closely with the Welsh Ambulance Service, and make sure they are only taken to hospital when it is absolutely necessary for them to do so. If someone is taken to hospital by an ambulance and we believe that individual could go home with a little bit of wrap-around care from Delta CONNECT and the rapid responders, then we do that to support them and their families.”
Delta Wellbeing is a Local Authority Trading Company, owned by Carmarthenshire County Council, which provides assistive technology and proactive monitoring to support older and vulnerable people to live more independently.
Health
Consultation launched on paediatric services at Withybush and Glangwili hospitals

BETWEEN May 26 and August 24, 2023, Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB) will be inviting members of the public, staff and partner organisations, to share their views about urgent and emergency children and young people’s (paediatric) services at Withybush and Glangwili hospitals. We are seeking your views on how best to provide these services following a series of temporary changes made since 2016. This is part of the health board’s wider strategy to improve health and care in the region.
Maria Battle, HDUHB Chair, explains: “Following the temporary changes to paediatric services made since 2016, we now need to implement a longer-term solution that will be in place until the proposed new urgent and planned care hospital is developed. We have worked with our clinical and paediatric teams to identify the options for the services in the future and have three options that we would like your views on. At this stage, we do not have a preferred option for how urgent and emergency paediatric services at Withybush Hospital and Glangwili Hospital will be delivered.”
Professor Phil Kloer – Executive Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive Officer added: “For all three options, it is important to note that access to children’s emergency care will be retained at Glangwili Hospital’s emergency department, and minor injuries for children will continue to be treated at both Withybush and Glangwili hospitals. Also, systems are already in place to ensure that any child or young person with critical conditions arriving at Withybush Hospital has the best care available and in the most appropriate place. This will continue as part of the new service.

“Before making any final decisions, the Board will consider all your feedback at the Board meeting towards the end of 2023 alongside all other evidence and relevant information collated during the process so far.”
Lee Davies, HDUHB Executive Director of Strategy and Planning, said: “During the consultation, the health board will be seeking feedback from everyone in our communities – particularly current and future users of our paediatric services. This is an opportunity to get involved and share your thoughts about the three options we are considering.
“Your views, along with other evidence and considerations, will help Hywel Dda University Health Board choose the most appropriate option for the future of urgent and emergency children and young people’s services at Withybush and Glangwili hospitals. We look forward to meeting with members of our communities during the coming weeks.”
The public drop-in events will be held between 1pm-6pm on:
- 20 June, Carmarthen Athletics Club, Cillefwr Industrial Estate, Carmarthen
- 23 June, Phoenix Centre, Goodwick, Fishguard
- 27 June, Cardigan Leisure Centre, College of Further Education Road, Cardigan
- 29 June, Pill Social Club, Cellar Hill, Milford Haven
- 3 July, Haverfordwest Rugby Club, Haverfordwest
In addition to the drop-in events, three online sessions are planned for:
- 19 June, 10am
- 22 June, 6.30pm
- 26 June, 1pm
Details of the consultation, including information on how to register for the online sessions, copies of the consultation documents in a range of formats, and details of how to share your views, will be available on the health board’s website from 26 May: Future Children Services – Hywel Dda University Health Board (nhs.wales)
Health
NHS staff must get Welsh government pay offer without delay, says UNISON

NHS workers Wales must receive a newly approved wage rise in their pay pockets as soon as possible, UNISON said this week (Wednesday, May 24)
Leaders at UNISON, the largest health union in Wales, have welcomed the Welsh government decision to sign off the new pay offer but say the money must reach workers without delay.
The offer consists of a 5% wage increase (payable from 1 April 2023) and an additional one-off payment for 2022/23 – worth between £900 and £1,190.
Earlier this month UNISON consulted with staff on Agenda for Change contracts (those directly employed by the NHS) over the Welsh government’s pay offer for 2023/24 and an additional one-off ‘recovery payment’ for the previous financial year.
A significant majority (78%) voted to accept the offer, with just 22% voting to reject.
All NHS unions then met on Monday (May 22) declaring the majority of health unions in favour of the deal and a final decision to implement the offer was made by Welsh government today (Wednesday).
UNISON Cymru/Wales head of bargaining and campaigns Jess Turner said: “We’re pleased the new pay offer will now be rolled out but it’s vital that it reaches pockets of NHS staff in Wales without delay.
“The NHS is one team. Every job and every worker make an essential contribution to patient care.
“Thanks to this deal, NHS staff will receive their pay rise much sooner than in previous years. This sets an expectation for the way NHS pay is approached in future in Wales.”
Health
Alarm as ambulance response times continue to fall short

PLAID CYMRU politicians have expressed grave concerns as waiting times for ambulances in west Wales continue to fall short of Welsh Government targets.
Data released this week (May 18) by the Welsh Government showed that during April 2023 only 46.8% of immediately life-threatening incidents within the Hywel Dda Health Board area were attended within 8 minutes. There is currently a target for 65% of such severe ‘red’ calls to have a response within 8 minutes.
Figures for west Wales fell below national average – with just over half (53%) of ‘red’ calls across Wales responded to within 8 minutes. In the neighbouring Powys Teaching Health Board, 42.6% of such emergency calls were attended to within the target 8 minutes.
The latest NHS figures also showed that at the end of March 2023, 31,700 patients’ pathways were waiting more than two years for treatment – falling around 5,000 from the previous month.
The Welsh Government had previously set a target that no-one would be waiting for more than 2 years for treatment as at the end of March 2023.
Earlier this year, Plaid Cymru published its five-point plan to help tackle the crisis in the NHS, but this was voted down by Labour.
Responding to the figures, Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Mid & West Wales said: “These latest ambulance response times continue to be alarming. Now we’re into spring, it’s clear that we’re no longer talking about seasonal pressures – but rather a deep-rooted inability to get to grips with the grid-lock in our NHS.
“The figures sadly reflect a growing trend I’m regularly seeing in my inbox and on the doorstep, with constituents across west Wales citing lengthy delays for an ambulance – often with devastating consequences. Whilst I am aware of the unprecedented pressures the pandemic has placed on our hardworking NHS staff and services, clearly urgent action needs to be undertaken to overcome these problems.”
Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Plaid Cymru’s Health spokesperson added: “Welsh Government’s inability to improve waiting times sufficiently for patients – missing their own targets in the process, and even showing apparent denial that they weren’t on course to meet them – raises serious questions about Labour’s credibility in terms of running the health service. I don’t think it’s impossible for us to put together a vision and to deliver on that vision in a way that delivers better healthcare than we currently see being delivered here in Wales today. But when Labour can’t manage to reach their own targets, it’s hard to have any confidence in their ability to fix these issues.”
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