8 November 2023
The Minister for Health and Social Services of Wales, Eluned Morgan, visited an award-winning scheme run by AHPs including SLTs, which is helping to cut hospital admissions and reduce waiting assessment times for those in residential care.
Ymwelodd Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, Eluned Morgan AS â phrosiect Gweithwyr Professiynol Perthynol i Iechyd gan gynnwys therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith sydd wedi ennill sawl gwobr. Mae’r prosiect yn helpu torri derbyniadau i ysbytai a lleihau amseroedd aros am y rheiny sydd mewn gofal preswyl.
The digital trial project, enhancing community services for care home residents, runs in a number of care homes across Bridgend. Residents receive a single virtual session with an integrated team who can agree on their next phase of care, rather than having home visits from three different health professionals. This new approach, not currently delivered anywhere else in Wales or the UK, has directly resulted in fewer hospital admissions, and a reduction in appointment waiting times for residents of 75%.
At the event, Lisa Love-Gould, speech and language therapist and Clinical Director of Allied Health Professionals in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board outlined the achievements of the project including improving the lives of care home residents and boosting community services capacity. Clinical Lead Specialist and project lead Sheiladen Aquino gave a presentation on the key role of speech and language therapists in supporting people with communication and swallowing needs and demonstrated the virtual project in action via a live connection to one of care homes supported by the project.
Members of the RCSLT Wales team also discussed the pressures facing speech and language therapists in Wales and the need to increase training places with the Minister.
Pippa Cotterill, Head of RCSLT Wales Office said:
“We were delighted that the Minister for Health and Social Services was able to join us to learn more about the fantastic Cwm Taf Morgannwg Bridgend Council care homes project. This award winning multi-disciplinary project is leading to seamless, integrated services for care home residents and showcases the role of speech and language therapists as key members of multi-disciplinary teams in supporting individuals with swallowing difficulties and reducing the need for them to go into hospital.
The project offered us a fantastic opportunity to discuss with the Minister the role of speech and language therapists across the life-course and the need for sustained increases in training places. We are very grateful to the health board and local authority teams for facilitating the visit and to speech and language therapists, Lisa Love-Gould, Sheiladen Aquino and Amber Griffiths for their fantastic presentations.”
RCSLT Cymru yn cynnal ymweliad gyda Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol
Dyma brosiect digidol peilot sydd yn cynnig gwasanaethau cymunedol uwch i nifer o gartrefi gofal ym Mhen-y-Bont ar Ogwr. Mae preswylwyr cartrefi gofal yn derbyn sesiwn rhithwir gyda thîm integredig sydd yn gallu cytuno ar gamau nesaf yng ngofal y person yn hytrach nag ymweliadau gartref gan dri gweithiwr professiynol gwahanol. Mae’r ffordd weithredu newydd hon, nas gwelwyd o’r blaen mewn unrhywle arall yng Nghymru neu yn y Deyrnas Unedig wedi arwain yn uniongyrchol at lai o dderbyniadau i ysbytai a gostyngiad o 75% mewn amseroedd aros am apwyntiad i breswylwyr.
Yn ystod y digwyddiad, tanlinellodd Lisa Love-Gould, therapydd lleferydd ac iaith a Chyfarwyddwr Clinigol Gweithwyr Professiynol Perthynol i Iechyd ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg gyflawniadau’r prosiect megis gwella bywydau preswylwyr cartrefi gofal a chynyddu capasiti gwasanaethau cymunedol. Yn nesaf, rhoddodd Sheiladen Aquino, arweinydd therapi lleferydd ac iaith clinigol arbenigol ac arweinydd ar gyfer y prosiect gyflwyniad ar rôl allweddol therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith wrth gefnogi pobl gydag anghenion cyfathrebu a llyncu a dangosodd yn ymarferol sut y mae’r prosiect rhithiol yn gweithredu drwy gysylltu’n fyw gydag un o’r cartrefi gofal a gefnogir gan y prosiect.
Trafododd aelodau tîm RCSLT Cymru y pwysau sydd yn wynebu’r professiwn yng Nghymru a’r angen i gynyddu llefydd hyfforddi gyda’r Gweinidog.
Dywedodd Pippa Cotterill, Pennaeth Swyddfa Cymru:
“Roedden ni yn falch ofnadwy bod modd i’r Gweinidog dros Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ymuno â ni i ddysgu mwy am brosiect cartrefi gofal Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg a Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-Bont ar Ogwr. Mae’r prosiect hwn sydd wedi ennill sawl gwobr yn arwain at wasanaethau integredig di-dor ar gyfer preswylwyr cartrefi gofal ac yn dangos yn glir rôl therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith fel aelodau allweddol o dîmoedd aml-ddisgyblaeth wrth gefnogi pobl gydag anghenion cyfathrebu a llyncu a lleihau’r angen iddynt fynd mewn i’r ysbyty.
Cynigiodd y prosiect gyfle ffantastig inni drafod gyda’r Gweinidog rôl therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith ar bob cyfnod o fywyd a’r angen am gynnydd mewn llefydd hyfforddi. Rydyn ni’n ddiolchgar iawn i’r bwrdd iechyd ac awdurdod lleol am hwyluso’r ymweliad ac i therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith Lisa Love-Gould, Sheiladen Aquino ac Amber Griffiths am eu cyflwyniadau ardderchog.”