Hywel Dda University Health Board (UHB) has a wide reach, providing healthcare services to 380,000 people throughout Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. This provision includes:
- GP surgeries
- Dentists
- Optometry
- Four district general hospitals
- Community services
- And more.
These are all services that create a huge amount of social value.
Early during the pandemic, Hywel Dda UHB realised that recovery was going to need to be inclusive to address the social inequalities, and keep wealth within the area it serves. Therefore, a priority was to embed the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 in the way the organisation operates. As a result, it embarked on a new project with Social Value Portal.
Identifying priorities for the health board
Social Value Portal has supported Hywel Dda University Health Board to deliver a needs analysis document across all three of its local authorities. These documents give the organisation a clear view of deprivation needs, particularly in relation to the seven wellbeing goals set out in the Well-being of Future Generations Act. The level of detail it provides allows the health board to understand communities like never before.
The data is incredibly rich but it’s also very simple to navigate, understand and use in designing and thinking about the way in which we deliver services. Until now, we were approaching the Act through quite a piecemeal approach. We had some great examples of case studies individually, but we neglected the overarching framework. As we emerge now, we can mainstream the impact we can have through procurement, through finance, which is a really key opportunity for us. – Huw Thomas, Director of Finance, Hywel Dda University Health Board
Now the service has a clear idea of where the key needs are in each local authority. Hence, it can focus far more clearly on the most pressing needs and be sure it is delivering a high level of social value.
Getting the supply chain on board
Huw believes that the information provided from the board’s work with Social Value Portal will change the way it approaches both clinical and corporate services to the best effect for its community. The pandemic has had a huge impact on health services. Consequently, effectively measuring social value is now even more important.
The focus of the health board has now turned to working with its partners, shifting mindsets into fully embracing social value as a key role of the public sector. This includes adapting skillsets within teams in relation to procurement. Is a supplier producing the best value for every NHS pound spent? This is a very different way to approach procurement, Huw said, one that really looks into the depth of a supply chain.
I want to get to a place where we can think very differently about our supply chain. We need to make sure we are engaging with our local communities and putting wealth back, but also driving our recruitment activities so that we go into those areas where there aren’t the great job prospects that you might hope for and tailor our offering to reflect the needs of those people. The long-term impact of this will be to change the way in which we respond to our communities needs from a healthcare perspective, but also respond to our communities needs in terms of our corporate objectives.
Are you interested in a local needs analysis for your area? Find out more about our consultancy service.
Want to find out more about our work with Hywel Dda University Health Board? Listen to our podcast ‘Delivering an inclusive recovery: Hywel Dda University Health Board‘.
Hywel Dda is a member of Social Value Portal at the start of their social value journey and are in the process of integrating social value into their procurements.
