Collaborative community-based projects celebrated for improving health and wellbeing

Innovative projects and support in the community have been celebrated at a special event highlighting the collaborative work between primary care clusters and the third sector.

It showcased many organisations and projects that have received funding from Swansea Bay’s Local Cluster Collaboratives (LCCs) to provide support across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Held in partnership with Swansea Council for Voluntary Service (SCVS) and Neath Port Talbot Community Voluntary Service (NPTCVS), the event celebrated the collaborative work between the third sector and the health board’s eight clusters.

Pictured: Health board, NPTCVS and SCVS members of staff (full caption at the end).

Afan, Bay Health, City Health, Cwmtawe, Llwchwr, Neath, Penderi and Upper Valleys LCCs have worked with the third sector for many years.

Many successful community-based projects have been delivered by organisations such as SCVS and NPTCVS following cluster funding, including the award-winning Cwmtawe Pathway Service, which helps people with complex health and wellbeing needs while taking pressure off GPs, as well as many more.

Tony Potts, Executive Director at NPTCVS, opened the event by acknowledging the huge amount of work already taking place in the community.

He said: “We have a unique, collaborative joined-up approach to our services in our area.

“We want to shine a light on how the third sector works alongside clusters in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

“Clusters play a very significant role in planning and developing services, but they do not do that alone.

“The aim of the event was to celebrate and recognise the progress that has been made, to connect, have conversations and build relationships, and to influence and have conversations about what has worked well, where the gaps are and what we can do next.”

Dr Iestyn Davies, Swansea Bay’s Deputy Group Medical Director for primary and community services, also spoke about how collaboration between clusters and the third sector sits at the heart of delivering better care for patients.

“Community-based interventions reduce loneliness and social isolation, and help ease pressure on primary care services,” he said.

“Third sector organisations offer trusted community relationships, flexible delivery and deep local understanding.

“Integrating non-clinical services, such as projects delivered by third sector organisations, with clinical care enables holistic support and reduces repeat clinical visits for our patients.”

Many third sector organisations attended the event to showcase the support and projects they can offer and have discussions directly with the clusters around potential opportunities to work together.

Pictured: Swansea Bay LCC leads (full caption at the end).

Liz Randall, Principal Officer for Development at NPTCVS, said: “The third sector aims to ensure people are happy, healthy and independent.

“We want to make people more aware of the services available to them which can help provide them with support.

“We work with the clusters to reach people in the local community and raise awareness of what is available to them in their community.”

Third Sector Collaborative Leads have recently been introduced within the clusters to help strengthen the link between the third sector and the healthcare system even further.

The leads share knowledge on their individual areas of expertise and are a voice for the third sector within the clusters to help improve population health and wellbeing.

Amy Meredith-Davies, Head of Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Transformation and Partnerships at SCVS, said: “The third sector often reaches people who may not engage in services.

“Clusters provide a unique space to understand local needs and the community.

“The partnership between clusters and the third sector has seen the development of social prescribers, which has now been rolled out across all clusters.

“It has gone from strength to strength, and we now have Third Sector Collaborative Leads who sit as equal partners within cluster meetings, which has strengthened the relationship between clusters and the third sector.

“The level of commitment to collaborative working in Swansea Bay makes such a difference to the health and wellbeing of the local population.”

Photo one (l-r): Nuria Zoelle, health board independent member, Sharon Miller, Associate Service Group Director for primary and community services, Tony Potts, Executive Director at NPTCVS, Steve Spill, health board Vice-Chair, Amy Meredith-Davies, Head of Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Transformation and Partnerships at SCVS, Dr Iestyn Davies, the health board’s Deputy Group Medical Director for primary and community services, and Gemma Richards, senior principal officer at NPTCVS.

Photo three (l-r): Afan LCC lead Neil Hapgood, City Health LCC lead David Howell, Llwchwr LCC and Penderi LCC lead Dr Sowndarya Shivaraj, Bay Health LCC lead Dr Nicola Jones, Upper Valleys LCC lead Niki Watts, and Cwmtawe LCC lead Mike Garner.