Funding for more allied health professionals in Wales

Welsh health minister, Eluned Morgan, has announced £5 million of funding aimed to increase the number of allied health professionals (AHP) and increase access to community-based care to help people remain active and independent.

The funding will be available from April and by helping people stay well at home and independent should help prevent hospital admissions and help people be dismissed from hospital with the right support and rehab at home.

13 professions make up allied health professionals, including physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians and psychologists. They are based in local health teams and provide preventative and early intervention services and reduce the need for long-term social care.

AHPs do things like treating people who have suffered a fall at home if they do not need to go to hospital and provide effective interventions to help people who are newly diagnosed with dementia so they can continue to live at home.

Minister for Health and Social Services Eluned Morgan said: "The focus of health and social care in Wales is on strengthening community-based services. We want people to live at home, as independently as possible and for as long as possible.

"We know that many people who are older and living with frailty or many health conditions can quickly deteriorate if they are inactive in bed for too long and, if they have been in hospital, when they leave they may be less mobile and less independent than when they were admitted. This funding will help us to help people return home as quickly as possible, with access to the right community assessment and rehabilitation, so they can remain active for as long as possible, living with their families and doing the things they enjoy most in their daily lives.

"Currently, not enough people can access the expertise of AHPs to maximise their health and improve their recovery. This is why I am announcing £5m to improve access to these skilled professionals and services to provide alternatives to hospital admission and reduce reliance on long-term social care. By expanding what health services can be provided within the community it will help us to tackle some of the current pressures facing our health and care system."