Home First team wins Welsh heat for prestigious Great British Care Awards

CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council and Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Home First team has won the Welsh heat of this year’s prestigious Great British Care Awards.

The innovative Home First integrated care team received the top award in the ‘co-production’ category of the GBCA which recognises excellence in partnership working to shape and design an integrated care and support service.

The award recognises the collaboration between Carmarthenshire Council’s home care team and HDUHB which sees both organisations realise their vision of working in partnership to improve the outcomes for people who use the service. This includes establishing an agreed role profile for both organisations and a successful joint recruitment programme.

Home First focuses on avoiding admission to hospital as well as supporting service users when they are discharged from hospital to allow people to recover at home before an assessment of long-term needs takes place.

The team forms part of the Intermediate Care Multi-Disciplinary approach developed in Carmarthenshire which includes GP’s, advanced paramedics, social workers, Home First integrated care workers, nurse practitioners and therapists. This means that service users spend less time in hospital and more time at home recovering.

Cllr Jane Tremlett Cabinet Member for Health and Social Services said: “I am delighted that the fantastic Home First team and it’s dedicated members has received the recognition they deserve through winning this prestigious award.

“Home First is a multi-skilled team providing a much-needed service throughout Carmarthenshire by ensuring that the right type of support is provided to those who may have hit a crisis point and are in need of short-term care.

“By focussing on people’s strengths, the team supports service users to maintain their independence. This has resulted in fewer hospital admittances and allows more people to recover in the comfort of their own homes.”

Andrew Carruthers, Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Director of Operations said: “Home First provides great benefits to our patients and health care professionals because spending less time in hospital and more time at home recovering is at the heart of this initiative. We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with Carmarthenshire County Council to improve the healthcare we offer our local communities into the future.”