Written question WQ97570

The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring people are supported to live independently in their communities wherever possible, and care is only considered when all appropriate alternatives have been fully explored.

We are taking a proactive and integrated approach to strengthen community-based support so alternative options to admission can be fully considered and used.

The Integrated Community Care System (ICCS) prioritises prevention, early intervention, and community-based support. This includes the implementation of models such as Home First and Discharge to Recover and Assess, which aim to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and support timely discharge through co-ordinated community services.

The initial focus has been on providing care closer to home for older adults with frailty, we are applying the principles to other key groups, including people with learning disabilities and neurodivergence.

The Learning Disabilities Ministerial Advisory Group has been considering a series of priority actions for 2026 onwards. These include maximising housing and accommodation-based solutions in the community, improving step up and down care and improving inpatient services for people who may need them.

We have also started work on developing an integrated quality statement for people with learning disabilities to help set the standard and principles for good care and support.

Using new national datasets, we are working with health boards to more closely monitor the journey of patients with learning disabilities through the health and care system, and new expectations have been set to drive improvements in early and effective discharge planning for people so that they do not stay in hospital longer than is clinically necessary.