In her latest Argus column, Judith Paget, chief executive of the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, updates us on the latest in healthcare in Gwent.

IN THIS column I want to talk to you about the exciting changes that are already happening – and are planned to happen – in primary care as we develop our NHS services in Gwent for the future.

What is primary care, you may ask?

This is the name we NHS staff give to the services that you access in your own community.

Primary care services are those that are generally your first port of call when you are unwell, or have a health-related issue. They include services like your local GP surgery, your dentist, optician, community and district nurses, and health visitors, amongst others.

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Primary care services are a vital component in the way healthcare is delivered across Gwent and these services are likely to be the ones you are most familiar with. We want to ensure that you can access as many of our services as possible within your own community so therefore we will continue to add, extend and develop those services closest to your homes.

By providing these local services we hope to help you to keep well, prevent the deterioration of any illnesses, and avoid you needing to be admitted to hospital.

Our plan to develop a modern, sustainable health service in Gwent is called our Clinical Futures programme – and I promise that we will continue our conversations with you about the changes we are introducing.

You might have already experienced some of them.

For example, we now have care navigators working in our GP surgeries across the health board. Care navigators are existing staff members, such as receptionists, who have been specially trained to help patients and direct them to the most appropriate person to care for them.

This may mean you don’t see the GP as you have always done in the past, but are directed to another health professional such as a physiotherapist or practice nurse.

Also, did you know that your local community pharmacist is able to offer free diagnosis and treatment for no fewer than 27 different conditions (including sore throat, head lice, verruca and indigestion amongst other things) under the Common Ailments Scheme? This means you can get advice and the appropriate – and free – treatment at your local pharmacy shop.

If you’re feeling unwell and not sure where to go, why not first pop in to see your highly-qualified pharmacist for advice?

If he or she believes that you would benefit from seeing a doctor or other health professional, then they will point you in the right direction.

Opticians across Gwent are now extending their diagnostic techniques so more of your eye problems can be diagnosed and treated closer to your home in many cases, saving you a trip to hospital.

We have also extended the range of diabetic care services in the community and our district nurses are now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is helping to care for people in their own homes, where they are most comfortable.

We know that we cannot do this alone and so are working with our partners in local government, the third sector, and community groups to help design seamless packages of care to support the population.

For example, we are working with our partners in social services on a pilot project called HomeFirst, which ensures our most frail patients have the right package of care in place for them so they can avoid being admitted to hospital in the first place, or discharged from our hospitals more quickly.

I hope that all this helps you understand more about our Clinical Futures programme and what we mean by delivering ‘care closer to home’.

To find out more you can follow us on social media or log on to our website: www.aneurinbevanhb.wales.nhs.uk