Investing in primary health services in the upper Rhymney Valley
I was pleased to be updated by Aneurin Bevan university health board about the transformation project for primary health care services in the Upper Rhymney valley. This involves an extension of the range of services being made available through the Rhymney Integrated Health and Social Care Centre.
Some of the rooms and spaces in the centre are being re-designed and support services strengthened. There is also an infusion service starting in the centre for patients needing bloods etc.
The mental health support has also been improved in Upper Rhymney so more people can be supported.
In addition through making more use of multi-disciplinary teams, and working with community rehabilitation, it is hoped to see earlier interventions with individual patients to help keep people out of hospital so they can be treated closer to home. This is a more proactive way of delivering health services in the community.
These types of improvements sit at the centre of the Welsh Government’s investment in Transformation projects. The projects seek to deliver more primary services closer to home, which was a promise we made at the 2016 Assembly election, and which seeks to sustain local services as the position around recruiting/retaining GPs becomes more challenging.
Community events
I have been pleased to attend a number of community events in Rhymney over recent weeks, though there was big pressure in judging carnival entries at the Deri carnival!
I also held street surgeries with Gerald Jones MP in Deri and Abertysswg. It is always good to be out and about listening to issues and catching up with local news.
In Deri, I was pleased to see the progress on the new bungalows as the building of new homes is always very welcome news.
Gelligaer and Merthyr common
Like me, many of you might enjoy a drive up to the common land to take in the glorious views. I have spent time with the project manager as he looks to help tackle fly tipping and generally manage access to these lands. I support this work and hope we can all play our part in keeping our local environment clean and safe.
Surgery
I have a surgery at the White Rose centre on Friday 7th June at 1pm. No appointment necessary.
As always you can contact my advice and casework team at the office on 01685 386672 or write to 110 High Street, Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8AP.