Hywel Dda University Health Board and Pembrokeshire County Council will be reviewing care and support provided from South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in the New Year to consider if any improvements or changes are required to meet patient and customer need.

The review will consider services and activity that is jointly funded and talk to staff, patients, partners and stakeholders about their needs and ideas about future service provision.

It will include a comprehensive review of:

• day care and rehabilitation/reablement for adults, including therapy input

• inpatient services which include 35 health and five social beds

• support services including administration, estates, hotel services, transport

• accommodation space for health and social care staff and provision within the area for visiting services

Director of operations and deputy chief executive of the Health Board, Joe Teape, explained: “We know that South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre is a much-loved and valued service within the local community. It’s really important that we take a careful look at the service model in the facility to ensure it is best meeting need and is having a positive impact for patients, including their outcomes and their experience of care. We also can’t ignore the external environment we are working within in health and social care and the future demographics of our population. This makes it really important to ensure our services are sustainable and make the best use of our resources for maximum patient benefit.”

The review will consider what current service models are like and how they are performing, consider if there is potential for change and look at alternative models of care, and agree how the University Health Board and local authority can continue to work together on areas of mutual benefit.

The review will include discussion with staff, service users and wider patient representatives through the Community Health Council.

The review will also consider impact of changes in relation to policy, fair charging and the impact of the forthcoming Social Services and Well Being Wales Act.

Mr. Teape stressed: “At this stage we are not consulting on any service change, but rather taking a close and prudent look at our services to ensure they are working in the best interests of our patients and population and to consider any potential changes and improvements that could be made. We want to do this with our patients, staff and partners using the principles of co-production and options to ensure that models are inclusive and the right solutions for this particular locality and Pembrokeshire.”

A project group has been established, with representation from doctors, therapists, medicines management, health and social care management, finance, human resources, estates, third sector providers, wider staff representation and invited representation from Hywel Dda Community Health Council.

Pam Marsden, director of social services and leisure for Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “As a local authority we are working closely with the Health Board. We want to ensure services continue to improve, are value for money and meet need. Both agencies need to make the best use of resources. We are looking forward to hearing from all stakeholders about this important facility.”

The Health Board and local authority will be arranging a series of stakeholder meetings and regular meetings with staff and will produce regular briefings for all parties.