"Ceredigion LHB plans what health services its population needs to pay hospital Trusts, GPs, dentists and others to provide these services and it is the LHB's responsibility to make sure that there are a range of healthcare services available, within available resources, to the population when they need them.
In order to meet its responsibilities the LHB works jointly, in partnership with other local organisations including Ceredigion County Council, Ceredigion & Mid Wales NHS Trust, neighbouring and other Trusts and LHBs in Wales, Ceredigion Community Health Council, Ceredigion Association of Voluntary Organisations, GPs, dentists and others to produce strategies for improving health, well-being and social care to ensure that local health needs are effectively met. The LHB also works closely with its population, consulting on significant changes and listening to the views of its residents.
Ceredigion LHB has a Board whose membership comprises a part-time non-officer Chair, executive officer members, part-time non-officer members, associate members and co-opted members. The Board is responsible for setting strategic direction, monitoring performance and ensuring effective management arrangements are in place. Those Executive officers who sit on the Board are responsible for implementing the Board's decisions and the day-to-day management of the LHB. The LHB employs 42 members of staff and has a staffing structure of five directorates: Finance & Commissioning, Primary Care & Planning, Nursing, Medical and Public Health and the Directorates work closely together.
The Ceredigion Public Health team, which is a part of the National Public Health Service, provides day to day support to the LHB in providing health promotion services, public health protection and to assist in developing health strategies.
Key developments for the LHB include development of the Ceredigion Health, Social Care & Wellbeing Strategy jointly with Ceredigion County Council and its partners. To provide a framework for the future planning of services for the local community.
It also involves public and patients through the development of a Readers Panel, Patients Forum, production of the Health, Social Care & Wellbeing newsletter 'Bywyd Da' and extending the Expert Patients Programme - a course which provides a new approach for assisting people living with a long-term health condition in Ceredigion.
The LHB is also implementing the new General Medical Services, Dental and Pharmacy contracts as well as developing substance mis-use services in Ceredigion.
Re-establishing a strengthened dermatology service based in two GP practices in Ceredigion and the development of a 'Three Counties' approach between LHBs and Trusts in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to identify areas where closer working could bring benefits to all.
The LHB also wants to Develop an integrated county wide reablement service jointly with its partners to be targeted initially at people over 50 to avoid admissions to hospital and allow timely discharge from hospital.
It also wants to develop mental health services through the introduction of a Mental Health team to work from GP surgeries and improving the way that chronic diseases are managed to try and make sure that patients all have access to the same level of care where ever they live in Ceredigion."
Further information on the work of Ceredigion LHB is available from:Ceredigion Local Health Board,Y Bryn,North Road,Lampeter,Ceredigion,SA48 7HA
Tel: 01570 424100
Fax: 01570 424102
Email: general.office@ceredigionlhb.wales.nhs.uk
Website: www.ceredigionlhb.wales.nhs.uk
Written by Derrick Jones
