Partners unite for Housing and Health Summit

This week Cwm Taf Morgannwg’s Healthy Housing partnership came together to discuss the key areas where collaboration are needed to tackle the challenges we face in a post pandemic world amidst a cost of living crisis.

Representatives from Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board, Housing Associations, Local Authorities and the third sector engaged with a series of talks and discussions that sought to inspire further action to support people across the region to live the healthiest and happiest lives they can.

The event builds on the success of a previous summit held prior to the pandemic in 2018. Much has changed in that time, not least the impact of COVID-19, which has highlighted the impacts of inequities in housing and its effects on people’s health.

The summit comes at a crucial time where partnership working has never been more important. People across the region face many barriers to living well at home and as we prepare for winter pressures and seek to reduce the burden of the cost of living crisis; this event is the next step in developing and then delivering on a manifesto for housing and health across the region. This manifesto will seek to develop a long term plan aligned with the health boards CTM2030 strategy for ‘Building Healthier Communities Together’ with a focus on partnership working for service improvement.

Luke Takeuchi, Chief Executive Officer at RHA Wales Housing Association and Vice Chair of Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board

Luke Takeuchi, Chief Executive Officer at RHA Wales Housing Association and Vice Chair of Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board; who chaired the event said:

“This summit has come at such a crucial time and it was great to see partners coming back together with so much energy and passion for tackling some of the big challenges we face in relation housing and health.

“While progress has been made since our first summit in 2018, it was clear from conversations that there are plenty more opportunities out there for us to work together with communities across the region; and create a more resilient and robust package of care and support around some off the most vulnerable members of our population.”

Linda Prosser, Executive Director of Strategy and Transformation at Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB adds;

“Health really does start at home and where and how you live has a huge impact on your health and wellbeing. The Housing and Health summit and the resulting work that takes place is a crucial part of our plan for building a healthier CTM.

“Working with our partners in social care, third sector, housing and local authorities will be key to us being able to provide care closer to home, reduce the length of stay in hospital where we know vulnerable patients are going home to a hot meal in a warm house, and ensuring housing conditions are aiding good condition management and not worsening symptoms.

“We face many challenges as a region and it’s only by working together and building on the great partnership working already taking place that we can overcome them. This summit has shown that this is achievable and that there is a passion for getting us over that line together.”

Find out more about the relationship between housing and health in the Making a difference report from Public Health Wales.