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Dementia Project – A joined up approach to services
We spoke to over 200 people about the dementia care they receive from health and social care services in Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.
We made a representation to Neath Port Talbot and Swansea Local Authorities as well as Swansea Bay Health Board and the Regional Partnership Board to: work together to create or further develop jointly funded services that provide advice and support for people living with dementia and their families.
We heard that the West Glamorgan Regional Partnership Board is putting together a dementia strategy in line with the All-Wales Dementia Care Pathway Standards. As part of this work, they will be looking at which services currently support those living with dementia in the area to better direct people and work out any gaps in services.
They shared their commitment to jointly providing the right advice at the right time for people living with dementia and their carers. They told us a Dementia Support Service had been set up via the West Glamorgan Regional Partnership with the help of five key organisations across Swansea and Neath and Port Talbot. The service supports people living with dementia along with their family, friends, and carers through providing information and advice around getting help at home, housing adaptations and repairs, respite, support and guidance. We were told that this work would continue to be developed further.
As well as sitting on the Regional Partnership Board, we now also sit on their Dementia and Learning Disability Programme Board bringing the voice of people to the table whilst services are being planned and developed. Thank you to all those who spoke to us about their experiences of living with dementia. We will keep you updated.
Take a look at Frank and Anne's story:
Review into Maternity Services at Singleton Hospital
Llais has been listening to women, birthing people and families that received care from Swansea Bay Health Board’s maternity services. What people told us was shared with the Independent Review of Maternity Services, and we asked them to show us how these views shaped their work.
Whilst this work is continuing, here are examples of what we have achieved:
- An agreement that an Advisory Group including people with lived experience, representatives from Maternity Voices Partnership, Llais and other third sector groups will be formed to advise the Panel on the approach to their work.
- Bereavement, mental health and wellbeing support services are to be made available for those who might need them.
- Information about the review will be made more visible on the Health Board website and following that a separate website will be launched for the review itself.
- We are working closely with families and the Health Board to move the review process forward so services can improve for people.
3,200 babies are born each year in the Swansea Bay University Health Board area. We know there may be a lot of you with stories to share.
If you want to have your say on your experiences of Swansea Bay maternity services, you can contact us at our Neath Port Talbot and Swansea office via email: [email protected] or by calling 01639 683490.
Advocacy: Waiting Times for Orthopaedic Surgery
We spoke with an 84-year-old man who had been waiting for orthopaedic surgery since early 2019. During that time his ability to get about deteriorated, with even one step leaving him in a lot of pain. He described his quality of life as non-existent. The pain was so bad that he hadn’t had a good night's sleep in over four years.
His question to Llais was “have I been condemned to live the last years of my life in agony, with no chance of surgery – am I going to die waiting for surgery?”
He had suffered from cancer during this time and was treated swiftly and successfully. However, as the cancer treatment lasted longer than 21 days the guidelines suggested he be removed from any waiting list and start again when doctors agreed he was fit. This would have meant him spending years longer awaiting orthopaedic surgery.
We wrote to the Health Board asking them to put him back on the list, in the place he should have been. The Health Board agreed, and the patient has now been offered imminent surgery.
He is overjoyed and looks forward to enjoying the future pain free.