VAUGHAN GETHING

COLUMNIST

YOU only have to look out of the window to see that summer is over and winter is on its way.

As the colder weather arrives in Wales it’s important that we prepare our NHS to prepare for the winter to come, learning lessons from previous years.

Last winter was one of the most difficult the NHS has faced in several years.

Blizzard and freezing conditions, more people using GP and emergency care services, increased admissions to hospitals for older people with complex conditions, together with the largest number of flu cases since the pandemic in 2009, meant our NHS was under unprecedented pressure.

It’s testament to our excellent staff across the NHS, social services and third sector at every level that, despite the often severe weather, the vast majority of patients received timely and high quality care.

But there’s always more that can be done to ensure our Welsh NHS and local authorities are ready for whatever winter brings. Considering staff wellbeing is a part of that.

Last week I announced a £20m package to support the NHS and its partners in Wales through the busy winter period.

Funding of £16m will be allocated to local health boards to support delivery of actions featured in local integrated winter delivery plans alongside the ambulance service, local authority and third sector partners.

This money will help people to access care closer to home, ensure there is sufficient available hospital capacity and to help people to leave hospital for home when they are ready.

The remaining £4m will fund nationally agreed priorities for the winter period. This funding will be targeted at:

■ Extending GP access into evenings and weekends, as well as bank holidays in some areas, to help people access care closer to home.

■ Supporting older people who have fallen and are not injured to remain in their homes or care homes.

■ Increasing the number of paramedics and nurses in the ambulance clinical contact centres to provide advice over the phone and help prevent unnecessary journeys to hospital.

■ Increasing capacity in emergency departments to support patient flow and to help resettle older, frail people at home following assessment in the department.

■ Spreading good practice across Wales from an award winning Welsh Ambulance Service pilot to use highly skilled paramedics to help keep people at home.

We will also support the “My Winter Health Plan” initiative to help clinicians who visit people at home understand more about their long-term conditions and prevent admission to hospital where alternative care would better meet their needs.

I have made the decision to allocate this funding earlier than in previous years to ensure local health and care teams are as prepared as they can be for the winter to come.

We have learned from our experiences of previous winters. The £20m I’ve announced will support NHS Wales and its partners to enhance delivery of the whole health and care system in the coming months.