Vaughan Gething, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services
Alun Davies, Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services
Today we have issued a consultation on a proposal that healthcare services for people in Bridgend should be provided by Cwm Taf UHB instead of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg UHB; moving the health board boundary accordingly.
The purpose of the proposed change is to ensure more effective partnership working and decision-making across South Wales within the broader ambitions for local government reform and the existing regional health partnerships.
Local government reform aims to make local government more effective and resilient through closer strategic regional working. Most authorities in Wales work in partnerships with the same authorities across economic activity, health services and other local authority functions. Bridgend Council works with local authorities in south east Wales in driving economic activity, but must work with local authorities in south west Wales within the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg UHB area for healthcare services.
If implemented, the proposed change would ensure that Bridgend Council was not disadvantaged by working across two strategic footprints. It would mean that Bridgend Council’s partnership arrangements would be broadly comparable with all other local authority partnership arrangements in Wales.
Simpler more coherent partnership arrangements and regional working are expected to deliver better outcomes for people and communities across Bridgend and partner authorities.
The consultation is available at: https://consultations.gov.wales/consultations/proposed-health-board-boundary-change-bridgend and will close on 7 March 2018.