WEST WALES REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP BOARD

APPOINTMENT OF SERVICE USER REPRESENTATIVES

Background

Part 9 of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 requires local authorities and health boards to work with partners in the third and independent sectors to promote the integration of health, social care and wellbeing services for the benefit of local communities. Regional Partnership Boards have been set up in each of the seven health board areas across Wales to lead this work.

The West Wales Regional Partnership Board (WWRPB) covers the Hywel Dda University Health Board area, which includes the counties of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. The WWRPB is in place and met for the first time in June 2016. It is responsible for:

·  Responding to the population assessment carried out in accordance with section 14 of the Act;

·  Implementing the plans for each of the local authority areas covered by the Board which local authorities and local health boards are each required to prepare and publish under section 14A of the Act;

·  Ensuring the partnership bodies provide sufficient resources for the partnership arrangements in accordance with their powers under section 167 of the Act;

·  Promoting the establishment of pooled funds where appropriate;

·  Ensuring that services and resources are used in the most effective and efficient way to improve outcomes for people in their region;

·  Preparing an annual report for Welsh Ministers on the extent to which the Board’s objectives have been achieved;

·  Providing strategic leadership to ensure that information is shared and used effectively to improve the delivery of services, care and support, using technology and common systems to underpin this;

·  Prioritising the integration of services in relation to

-  Older people with complex needs and long term conditions, including dementia;

-  People with learning disabilities;

-  Carers, including young carers;

-  Integrated Family Support Services;

-  Children with complex needs due to disability or illness;

·  Delivering a pooled budget arrangement for care homes by April 2018.

Current members of the Board include the Directors of Social Services and Cabinet Members for social services in each of the 3 counties, representatives of the Health Board, a representative of the County Voluntary Councils in the region and a member who represents independent care providers. We are also in the process of appointing additional third sector and carer representatives to the Board.

What we are looking for

We want to ensure that the Board’s priorities and work programme reflect the needs and concerns of people in need of care and support, their carers and local communities. To help achieve this we are looking to appoint to the Board three people who currently receive health, social care and wellbeing services in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire, who will attend its meetings and contribute to its business over the next 12 months. You might be an older person, someone with a physical disability or someone with a learning disability, and you will have experience of receiving care and support services in the West Wales region.

If appointed, you would play an important role in the work of the Board, bringing a service user’s perspective to discussions, taking part in planning its work, feeding in the views of other service users and reporting back to them as appropriate. A more detailed role description is attached.

The Board will meet every three months. We envisage that meetings will take place across the region. We will look to provide video conferencing facilities where possible. Taking into account time for preparation for meetings, reporting back to others and briefings/ development events, we estimate a minimum time requirement of around 8 days a year.

Appointments will be for one year, with a possible extension for a maximum of a further 12 months.

Support for Board members

A detailed induction programme and briefings before and after meetings will be provided to ensure that you are up to speed with the business of the Board and are able to make a full contribution at meetings as quickly as possible.

We will meet reasonable personal costs associated with your attendance at meetings, for example travel expenses.

What to do if you’re interested

People who are interested in joining the Board should complete the attached Expression of Interest form and return it to

What happens next

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to meet for a more detailed conversation with representatives of the WWRPB before a decision on appointments is made.

An induction meeting for the successful candidate will be arranged.


The next meeting of the Board then takes place on the morning of Thursday 15 December in Carmarthen.

Finding out more

Further information on the work of the WWRPB and/ or the responsibilities of its members is available from:

Martyn Palfreman

Head of Regional Collaboration

c/o Department for Communities

Carmarthenshire County Council

Tel: 01267 228978 ext. 2978

Mobile: 07880 504028

E-mail:

or

Sue Leonard

Chief Officer

Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services

Tel: 01437 769422

E-mail:

WEST WALES REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP BOARD

APPOINTMENT OF SERVICE USER REPRESENTATIVES

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Your name

Your address

______
______

Tel ______Email ______

Tell us more about yourself and why you are interested in joining the WWRPB (Please complete with reference to the attached Role Description)

Tell us about the care and support services (including community-based support) that you use
Joining the WWRPB will provide a unique and exciting opportunity to influence the shape of health and social care services in West Wales.
Please tell us briefly what you think would be the main benefits for you and other service users if you became a member of the Board
During Board discussions you will be required to share your experiences (good or bad) of using services and make suggestions about how they might be improved.
Please tell us of any previous occasions in which you have shared your experiences of services in this way, including sitting on boards, forums or partnerships. How did you find it and what was the result?
Please tell us anything else you think might be of relevance to us when considering your expression of interest

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