‘IT'S felt like we’ve been in winter since last summer’ says the man behind the health board’s preparations for the upcoming seasonal pressures.

Joe Teape, deputy chief executive and director of operations at Hywel Dda Health Board, told board members on Thursday, September 27, that it did not feel that last winter had ended.

As part of his update on plans for Winter 2018, Mr Teape said that there were currently two health board sites at high escalation levels, including Bronglais Hospital.

He said he was not as far forward in his plan for this winter as he would have liked – but more advanced than usual –  with a number of areas requiring further examination, including what the financial situation will be to fund preparations.

More data had been looked at to aid prediction of need as well as closer look at primary care and other partners was to be carried out to improve the plans.

Included in the plans, but not finalised, are planned surge bed capacity at Withybush Hospital, additional step down beds in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, ‘hot clinics’ and senior medical backfill to support admission avoidance and extra Out of Hours advice doctor support.

There could be an expansion to the minor injury unit services, additional therapy staff and extra middle grade doctors to help discharge on weekends as well as an enhancement to the mental health liaison service.

The roll-out of the out of hours 111 service in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion is still planned for the end of October and may alleviate some pressure on the out of hours GP service – but it is not welcomed by all practitioners.

Despite some concerns from GPs and the ambulance service, it was decided “on balance” best to extend the service next month because the next opportunity to do so would be two years down the line, the board heard.

Independent member Professor John Gammon said the plan looked “far more robust” than in previous years with a “range of pathways far more integrated and more cross sector involvement.”