Plans to deliver a seamless health and social care system, which
supports people to live healthy and independent lives, will
receive a £180m funding boost next year, Ministers announced
today.
Health and Social Services Secretary, and Minister for Children,
Older People and Social Care, today set out their
spending priorities for 2019-20.
Earlier this year, the Welsh Government published A
Healthier Wales, the long-term plan for health and social
care in Wales.
As part of the process of transforming the health and social care
system, the Welsh Government wants everyone to have access to a
single integrated package of health and social care when they
need it. This may be delivered by several different services,
according to people’s needs.
Health and Social Services Secretary, said:
“In Wales, we’ve set out a clear vision to transform the health
and care system. People will receive a single integrated package
of support for health and social care tailored to their needs and
preferences.
“The £180m package of investment we’re confirming today for
health and social care in Wales represents a significant
additional investment next year. It will be targeted across the
health and social care system, to reflect the integrated approach
we are promoting towards the development of seamless models of
care.”
A package of £130m funding in 2019-20 will help to deliver the
single integrated package of support and will be available to
health and social care regional partnerships throughout Wales.
The funding will be allocated across three main areas:
· £50m
of revenue funding for the Integrated Care Fund, which aims to
reduce pressure on the hospital and social care system by helping
to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, inappropriate
admissions to residential care, and delayed hospital discharges;
· £30m
to be allocated through the regional partnership boards – these
are shared decision-making bodies between health boards and local
authorities. Regional partnership boards will play a leading role
in the delivery of A Healthier Wales;
· £50m
for the Transformation Fund, which will be allocated to
programmes endorsed by regional partnership boards, to take
forward the development and implementation of new models of care.
Ministers have also confirmed local authority social care
services will receive £50m next year – £20m will be provided as
part of the local government revenue support grant and a further
£30m as a specific grant from the health and social services
budget.
Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, added:
“The £50m additional investment we’re making in social care will
help services meet the growing demand for services and the needs
of individuals in communities’ right across Wales.
“This wider package of investment demonstrates our commitment to
the development of a truly seamless health and social care system
in Wales.”
The announcement comes as the Welsh Government will today publish
stage two of the draft Budget 2019-20 – the detailed spending
proposals set out how the funding to each government portfolio
will be allocated to individual programmes and grants.
