Local residents asked to help develop health and social care hubs in Wrexham

Residents across Wrexham are being asked to share their views on health and social care services in their community.

Wrexham Council, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW) are looking at opportunities for establishing joint health and social care hubs.

It is hoped that the hubs will bring together health and social care teams to provide targeted, localised services.

They might not necessarily be in a shared physical location – a ‘hub’ could be a network of local activities, or even teams working together virtually.

A public consultation has now been launched on the Your Voice Wrexham website, with members of the public being invited to have their say on the development of the hubs.

As part of the consultation, participants can feedback on what has the most positive impact on their wellbeing. This can include physical health, mental health, mobility, housing, leisure activities, a health lifestyle and feeling safe in your local community.

Question two shifts the focus onto what can have a negative impact on a person’s wellbeing – such as poverty, social isolation, lack of community groups, domestic violence, mental health, unemployment and a lack of disability support.

There is also the chance for participants to put forward what stops them from accessing local services, including transport links, waiting times, lack of awareness of available support, communication barriers and lack of services within the community.

Finally the questions on what services are already providing support and which priorities would be the most important for any potential new wellbeing hub.

Councillor John Pritchard, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Adult Social Care, said: “The hubs will have wellbeing at their heart, with health and social care teams working together to give you access to the right support at the right time when you need it.

“But before the council, BCUHB and AVOW develop their ideas, we need to know more about people’s experiences.

“We want to understand how local services impact on your wellbeing, and if anything is preventing you from accessing services at the moment.

“We also want to know about priorities in your community, and opportunities for improvements.

“If you have 10 minutes to spare, please fill in our survey. Your help is crucial and will help inform the development of wellbeing hubs across Wrexham.”

The survey is live until October 1 and the research is being undertaken by the NECS (North of England Care System Support), which is part of the NHS and specialises in developing innovative healthcare solutions.

You can have your say on health and social care services in Wrexham, here.