AFTER reality hit at a recent meeting on a potential super GP service in the Vale, we now have a line from the Welsh Government on their take on the situation.
It comes as Health Board representatives, including chief executive Suzanne Rankin, revealed at a public meeting in Penarth’s leisure centre on June 26, that the health board still has to “win” funding in order to build the "wellbeing hub".
‘We need to help people live well,’ Welsh Government’s take on the wellbeing hub
The Welsh Government, who are pushing for wellbeing hubs, described the centres as providing people with “easy and seamless access to a wider range of care rooted in the community”.
To date, 13 well-being projects have been approved under Welsh Government’s “Integration and Rebalancing Capital Fund”.
A spokesperson for the government said: “The Integration and Rebalancing Capital Fund (IRCF) was launched in 2022 with funding reaching £70m within three years.
“Wellbeing hubs will play an important role in helping build the community capacity we need to help people live well at home, prevent them needing to be admitted to hospital and supporting them to return swiftly home where they have been admitted.
“Rooted in communities, these hubs will provide people with easy and seamless access to a wider range of health, care and wellbeing services closer to their home.”
Cardiff and Vale Health Board on a deadline to “win” funding for the Vale
The government say the health board has until the end of July to submit their application for a chunk of IRCF funding (estimates of up to £20 million are said to be being asked by the health board for eastern Vale).
The government has confirmed that, to date, no application has been received in relation to eastern Vale.
“No application for IRCF funding has been received from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board for the Wellbeing Hub at Penarth,” continued the government spokesperson.
“Regional Partnership Boards (on which the health boards are represented) have a key role in bringing together key partners to facilitate cross-sector strategic planning in relation to capital investment for health and social care and are due to submit strategic capital plans by the end of July focussed on short, medium and long term investment opportunities to support the strategic direction within each region.
“These plans must be informed by both national policy and regional population needs assessments.”
‘We will not get a solution that works for everyone,’ Cardiff and Vale Health Board
At the meeting in Penarth, deputy director of strategic planning Ms Marie Davies, pleaded with the public to get behind plans for the wellbeing hub, describing current GP Practices as past their sell-by-date.
The health board say they are desperate for community support as they admit a one size fits all solution will not be found.
A health board spokesperson said: “We are encouraging everyone to engage with this project to inform the decision-making.
“We understand we will not get a solution that works for everyone and compromise will be required to meet the needs of the wider community.
“We are really seeking community support before we submit any proposals to Welsh Government as we know this is so important to achieving a successful outcome.”
What do you think of the plans? Can you come up with a better idea? What do you think of health care provision in the Vale? Let us know by emailing harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.
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