Highlights on Rural Health Innovation in Wales
Stephanie Best
PoWIS Rural Health PhD Student
Dr Fiona Williams
Research Manager, IRH
What is Innovation in Rural Health
and Social Care?
 From the Latin innovatus meaning to renew or
change in -"into" and novus -"new"
 Majority of innovation is derived by inspiration from
others – reinvention
 A “good idea” is not enough
 Spread of innovative rural health and social care is
dependent on sharing knowledge
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
The Process of Innovation
Action
Idea
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
Innovation
Rural Health Innovation Projects
Aims
 Stimulate and support innovative and sustainable
solutions
 Develop and test new models of integrated,
sustainable working
 Strengthen local ownership, engagement and rural
networks
 Support joint workforce training and developments
 Identify and share examples of good practice to
inform service delivery
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
Diversity of Projects
Designed for Competence
Outreach Mobile Units
Community Support Networks
Telerehabilitation
Sp&L Therapy in a bag
Third Sector Coordination
Rural Carers Recognition
IT Paramedics
Rural Carers Survey
E Xray Link
Palliative Care Service Redesign
Nurse Led MIU
Care Farming
Rural Health Capable Coping Communities
Innovation Projects
Innovative Rural Pharmacies
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
Challenges
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Tight timescales
Procurement
New referral routes
Assessment of small client populations
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
What has been learnt?
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The need to embed evaluation frameworks
Measuring the unquantifiable
Integrated working
Benefits of a good network
The need to share outcomes
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
Development Sites
 Increase understanding of the practicalities of
implementing improved service delivery in a rural
context
 Strategic approach to a different way of working:
 Intertwined – wider strategic framework
 Focus on geographically-based initiatives
 Not ‘bolt-on’ initiatives
 Evaluating the ‘learning’
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
Overview: Hywel Dda
Joint delivery
systems
– transport
Integrated
planning &
delivery teams
Access Integration
Service maps
redrawn – local
intelligence
Crymych
Community
networks
established
Community
cohesion
Integrated
Workforce Plan
Greater use joint
care packages
Gap analysis –
identify lack
alternative care
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
Overview: Powys
Agreed role
profiles
Identified
‘champions’
Emphasis on
Mental Health
Systems of
engagement at
local level
Powys-wide
Rural Health
Practitioner
Training
programme
Telehealth &
telecare
services
Plan for ‘roll out’
as appropriate
Governing
Framework
Citizen &
stakeholder
engagement
Tier 1 services
initiated
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
Mapping
exercise
What has been learnt?
Access
 Perceptions of good and poor access – challenging
our understanding of access issues
 Rural isolation – reaching people (community
intelligence)
 The role of telehealth and telecare opportunities
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
What has been learnt?
Integration
 Locality working – understanding the interface
between community and primary health care services
 Workforce – potential impacts on planning
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
What has been learnt?
Community Cohesion & Engagement
 Understanding the third sector and civil society –
developing relationships
 Access to information
 Confidentiality issues and concerns
 Flexibility – working with the community dynamic
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
Challenges and opportunities
 Project activities and outputs are still ongoing
 Impacts are difficult to disentangle from related
activities
 Useful learning achieved through the project process
to date – potential to shape services
 Basis of framework for evaluation and critique in the
medium-longer term
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement
The “so what” slide
 Early days
 The Rural Health Plan has provided a ‘lens’ for
observation
 Initiating a culture shift in service provision
 Generating the evidence-base - a need for ongoing
monitoring, review and evaluation
 Wales is on the international stage for rural health
and social care provision
Access, Integration, Community Cohesion and Engagement