Consultation on the

Proposed Re-alignment Of

Grwp Gwalia Residential Services

Within Neath Port Talbot

A Response from Neath Port Talbot CVS

August 2015

Neath Port Talbot CVS

Tŷ Margaret Thorne

17-19 Alfred Street

Neath

SA11 1EF

A response to the Consultation on the

Proposed Re-alignment Of Grwp Gwalia Residential Services

Within Neath Port Talbot

Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service (CVS)

Neath Port Talbot CVS is the County Voluntary Council and a Charitable Company set up to promote, support and develop the Third Sector in Neath Port Talbot. It has over 500 member organisations and is in touch with over 1,000 Third Sector organisations operating in Neath Port Talbot.

The organisation has strong partnership links locally and regionally and works in a number of strategic areas, such as Health, Regeneration, Children & Young People.

As part of this work, Neath Port Talbot CVS facilitates the Regional Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Network and the Neath Port Talbot Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Forum. Neath Port Talbot CVS also promotes a range of health messages to its staff and to the wider community through its networks, newsletters, website and social media.

Neath Port Talbot CVS has made this consultation document available on its website and through its general information services.

Neath Port Talbot CVS welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation.

Response:

Neath Port Talbot CVS recognises the needs to consolidate services to ensure that they continue to meet demand, however there are a number of issues which need to be considered in making these changes:

  • Transport

Transport is a long standing issue in Neath Port Talbot. It is recognised that there may be some benefit to some individuals in moving services, however there is a need to consider the impact on those where the service is now further away from their home.

With regards to Intermediate Care Services, those who use the service are likely to have their transport needs met. However, there is a need to consider the implications the service change would have on any family or friends who would visit. The additional cost of travelling to a service further away may not be something which can be afforded. The additional journey time may also reduce the time the family and friends could spend with the individual, or quite simply mean that if there is a reliance on public transport, that the journey cannot be made. This has the potential to have a negative impact on the wellbeing of the person receiving intermediate care services as well as the family or friends who would normally visit.

There is also a need to consider the impact of relocating short breaks to Dan Y Bryn in Pontardawe. It is noted that for short breaks, transport isn’t provided. Consideration needs to be given to transport arrangements, given that the short break facility would be moved further away from home for some individuals.

  • Direct Payments

Neath Port Talbot CVS recognises the need to promote and improve the uptake of direct payments and to ensure that people have access to the kind of respite/ short break services which meet their needs. Given that uptake of direct payments in Neath Port Talbot, and Wales more generally, has been very low, how will the direct payments be promoted? Furthermore, will there be a choice in whether an individual takes them up, or will the reduction in respite beds mean that an individual will be required to make use of direct payments to have a short break at a time which most suits their needs?

  • Advocacy

In publicising this consultation, what has been done to publicise that independent advocacy service is available to enable people to respond to the consultation? Stating that an independent advocacy service is available if required in a consultation booklet is insufficient as the individuals who are likely to require advocacy are unlikely to access the consultation booklet.

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