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°Õ³ó±ðÌýSocial Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 came into force on the 6th of April 2016.Ìý

The Act changes the way people’s needs are assessed and the way services are delivered - people will have more of a say in the care and support they receive.

It also promotes a range of help available within the community to reduce the need for formal, planned support.

• Services will be available to provide the right support at the right time
• More information and advice will be available
• Assessment will be simpler and proportionate
• Carers will have an equal right to be assessed for support

Population Needs Assessment

The Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Act) – Part Two, section 14 requires that local authorities and local health boards must jointly carry out an assessment of the needs for care and support, and the support needs of carers in the local authority areas.

Care and support is in relation to people known to social services, carers and those supported through preventative services.

The population needs assessment (PNA) consists of two sections:

• Assessing the extent to which there are people or their carers who need care and support and the extent to which they need support.
• Assessing the range and level of services required for the care and support needs of the population, their carers, to prevent needs arising and escalating, and the actions required to provide services in Welsh.

The first population assessment was published in April 2017 and the latest version was published in April 2022.

Regional Area Plan

Each local authority and health board are required to prepare and publish a plan setting out the range and level of services they propose to provide, or arrange to be provided, in response to the population needs assessment. Area plans must include the specific services planned in response to each core theme identified in the population assessment. As part of this, area plans must include:

• the actions partners will take in relation to the priority areas of integration for Regional Partnership Boards;
• the instances and details of pooled funds to be established in response to the population assessment;
• how services will be procured or arranged to be delivered, including by alternative delivery models;
• details of the preventative services that will be provided or arranged;
• actions being taken in relation to the provision of information, advice and assistance services; and
• actions required to deliver services through the medium of Welsh.

The first area plan was published April 2018 with the Regional Partnership Board ensuring links between the Area Plan and the local authority Well-being Plans required under the Well-being of Future Generations Act to facilitate collaborative working and avoid duplication. The benefits expected are more opportunities for regional working, joint commissioning and maximising of resources.ÌýÌý