The Welsh Government has launched 50-day challenge intended to help more people safely return home from hospital and at the same time, ease winter pressures on the health and care system.

All health boards and local authorities in Wales have accepted the 50-day Integrated Care Winter Challenge. It will run from now until the end of the year.

Health boards and local authorities are being asked to work together to use a 10-point action plan to support more people who have experienced long delays in hospital, to return home.

The programme has been designed so that that the NHS and local councils work together to share and learn from best practice to improve system performance and ensure the right support is available to help people stay well or recover at home, or in the community.

The 10-point action plan of best practice interventions includes improving hospital discharge procedures; planning for discharge from the point of admission; ensuring there is proportionate and effective seven-day working to enable weekend discharges; undertaking more assessments in the community and providing community rehabilitation and reablement to help people recover fully.

Cabinet secretary for health and social care Jeremy Miles said: "It’s essential we support our health and care services over the winter so they can continue looking after the sickest and most vulnerable people.

"There is no place like home for people to recover from an illness or injury once they are ready to leave hospital. Equally there are a wide range of support services available in our communities that can help prevent people needing to go to hospital in the first place, helping them to stay well at home.

"The 50-Day Integrated Care Winter Challenge and the 10-point action plan will strengthen our health and social care system so that we can help more people to stay well at home and get more people home from hospital when they are ready to leave.

"I’m really pleased the NHS and local authorities have constructively embraced this challenge and have prepared to take immediate collective action to respond."

Minister for children and social care Dawn Bowden added: "Community-based care can improve outcomes, especially for older people and those with complex needs. We know people recover better at home than in a hospital, where unnecessary stays can affect their physical and mental wellbeing.

"There are many good examples where health and social care teams are working closely together to ensure people can be supported to stay well at home or move smoothly from hospital into the community where the right support is available to them.

"This 50-day challenge is about promoting best practice and making sure it is available and consistently applied across Wales."