An overview of how primary, community and social care services are working together to create a ‘Healthier Pembrokeshire’ was released this week.

Pembrokeshire locality Community Health Council received the latest report from Hywel Dda University Health Board focused on the next six months.

It includes an Integrated Pathway for Older People currently being piloted in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

Part of the non-liner pathway, which is reflexive and adaptive, is the ability to choose and age well with a focus on preventions along with “active and connected communities.”

The Community Connectors team has supported around 600 people and provide “more consistent and streamlined screening and referral protocols” and had a significant benefit.

Low level support to help prevent admission to hospital is available via PIVOT, a consortium of third sector organisations with a report to CHC stating 63 per cent of referral to the scheme avoiding a hospital stay.

A number of education and self-management programmes have been introduced with a wide range of options available to Pembrokeshire residents.

The report also refers to the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) pilot, Pembrokeshire Frailty Service and palliative care along with a number of other facilities all helping to provide care in people’s homes rather than hospital.

If hospital admission is required Withybush is still providing sheduled and unscheduled care with 76 surgical beds, 115 medical beds and 17 acute clinical decision unit beds currently operational.

A new consultant cardiologist and general physician has started work at Withybush Hospital recently.

More beds in the community are still being sought to ease the pressure on hospital beds and reduce delays in discharge caused by “difficulty in accessing domiciliary care.”

“We have a high level of ambition and have heard through out meetings within our communities, how important it is that we get right our community based services and care. What we offer in the community needs to be resilient and reliable before significant changes are made in relocating acute services,” the report adds.