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Caring For You and Your Future

Clinical Futures is the Health Board’s plan for sustainable health and care services for the whole of the NHS across the Gwent area.
 
Learn more about choosing the right healthcare services, first time, in this short animation..
 

                         

 

You can read more information about these changes in our Clinical Futures information booklet and range of Information Leaflets below.

Our aim is to provide safe, high quality care and deliver as much of this at home, or as close to home, as possible. As a Health Board, we aim to improve the health and wellbeing of the population we serve, reduce health inequalities, and ensure the sustainability of our NHS healthcare system.

We've already made some major changes to the way we deliver our services - and you may have already experienced receiving your health care in a different way. We've moved a number of services closer to where you live. We will continue to change the way we deliver our services, making sure the patients are at the centre of everything we do and every decision we make.
 
On these pages, you can find out more about how our Clinical Futures programme is changing the way healthcare is delivered in Gwent.  We have dedicated pages below to reflect the changes taking place at The Grange University Hospital, the Royal Gwent Hospital, Nevill Hall Hospital and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.  Our other hospitals (including Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan, St Woolos Hospital, Chepstow Community Hospital and County Hospital) will continue to deliver services as usual.
 

Why Do Our NHS Services Need To Change?

As a result of the advances in healthcare, many of us are now living longer and leading much more active lives.
 
Understandably, aging can result in a range of illnesses and health challenges. The Health Board is now treating more people than ever before and as a result we need to change how we care for and support people to better meet these changing needs.
 
In order to maintain safe and sustainable services for local communities, we need to have the right staff in the right place to offer the very highest standards of care for our patients.
 

Our New Model of Healthcare

 
The below graphic gives an overview of our new healthcare system.

We all know that exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help us stay well and keep some illnesses at bay.
 
Working with a range of partners, we're encouraging and supporting our patients and the public we serve to stay healthy to support their well-being.
 
For example, our ‘Living Well, Living Longer’ service is delivering pioneering health checks and health messages across Gwent. These health checks have identified thousands of people with health issues and helped others to stop smoking.
 
Read more about how we are aiming to build a healthier Gwent.

Ideally, patients would be cared for in, or close to, their home when they become ill or need support. Our aim is to provide safe care as locally as possible, often in people's own homes or through our Primary Care services, such as GP surgeries, Pharmacies, Opticians and Dentists.
 
Many of our GP Surgeries and Health Centres now have multi-disciplinary teams of medical professionals all in one place, including Practice-based Pharmacists, Mental Health Practitioners and Advanced Nurse Practitioners.
 
Read more about our Primary Care services.

When people do require hospital admission, or attendance, our existing hospitals located within communities across our Health Board area are continuing to provide local services, such as rehabilitation services, outpatients appointments, some less complex operations and step-down care.
 

It isn't always easy to know where you should go if you are unwell or injured and need urgent medical attention.

If you or a loved one find that you are urgently unwell and are unsure where to go, contact 111 first for help and advice.

Call 111 or visit the online symptom checker.

Our Enhanced Local General Hospitals- the Royal Gwent Hospital, Nevill Hall Hospital and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr- all continue to play an important role in our new model of healthcare, although aspects of what they deliver may have changed.

These Enhanced Local General Hospitals have been repurposed to treat less critical illnesses and minor injuries requiring Hospital care. They each feature a 24/7 Minor Injury Unit, Medical Assessment Unit, Diagnostic Services, Maternity Services, Surgical Procedures and Outpatient Clinics.

Read more about our Enhanced Local General Hospitals.

The small number of people who are seriously ill and require very specialist or critical care will be treated at The Grange University Hospital in Llanfrechfa, Cwmbran.
 
Unless patients have a very serious illness or injury, or they're accessing a service where we have centralised our clinical expertise to deliver the best care, they may never visit this new hospital. If they do need to go there, however, they will be treated by a team of specialist staff who are best equipped to ensure the best treatment and optimal outcome.
 
Some patients will still need to be transferred to a regional centre after assessment (For example, to the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery at Morriston Hospital).