Provision of a Waiting Well Support Service

The provision of a Waiting Well service will offer continued support for frail older people and vulnerable adults who may require support at home while they await NHS treatment. The service will provide practical and emotional support through the employment of staff and the mobilisation of volunteers.

The service will offer support to Health Board patients who have been waiting for two years or more for elective procedures or treatment from the NHS and through continued communication and reassurance, reduce the risk of reliance on emergency, acute and primary care health services and empower people to better self-manage their physical health and well-being as they continue to wait for treatment. It will work in conjunction with NHS and Local Authority services enabling people to engage with their local communities, which would otherwise prove difficult due to frailty or anxiety.

The primary objectives for this service are to;

• Support the service user whilst they await treatment and/or admission to hospital
• Improve service user health and well-being
• Facilitate or provide practical help in their own home
• Connect service users with community-based services to support their well-being & reduce their anxiety

Pastoral care will be offered within the service user’s own home, initially on a face to face basis for up to six weeks, followed by a further period of telephone support for up to six weeks, dependent upon the assessed need of the person referred.

The service contributes to the continued well-being of the service user awaiting treatment from their local hospital(s) and will maintain contact with the referrer and will liaise with them, as necessary. It will comprise health and well-being checks and will alert the referrer should there be any change or deterioration.

The service will continue to be available during the wait for admission and/or treatment and will link with other services which may be able to provide any ongoing support either prior to or following treatment.

The service will operate Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm (although this could be extended to provide a 7-day service) and will consist of two elements provided by a mixture of staff and volunteers:

1. Face to face practical and emotional support, individualised and delivered through weekly visits by a dedicated support worker
2. Welfare telephone support delivered by volunteers

It should be noted that the contract will not provide personal care support.

This contract will initially be for a one year period with a further 12 months extension option. This contract is a pilot for the Health Board to assess the successfulness of the service in its establishment.