Waiting Well: the Swansea Bay Promote, Prevent and Prepare services Patient Charter
Waiting for treatment or surgery can be an anxious time, but it also offers an important opportunity to take positive action to be as fit and healthy as possible before an operation.
For example, staying active, eating healthily and quitting smoking will help you to 'wait well' by boosting your overall health and wellbeing. This will support a better treatment outcome, and a faster recovery.
During this time - and afterwards - it is important that you have the information you need from the health board to support you, that this information is accessible, and that your communications needs are met.
Waiting Well is underpinned by three main principles, sometimes known as the ‘3Ps’:
- To Promote healthy decisions and lifestyles
- To Prevent your health or condition from getting worse
- To Prepare for your treatment, and your recovery, to be a success
In addition, we will support and encourage you to be more involved and in control of your own healthcare, working in partnership with our clinical teams.
This is not only during the run up to your treatment, but afterwards, for as long as that’s needed.
You can expect:
Holistic person-centred care
- To access support for your emotional as well as physical wellbeing, and other needs, while waiting
- To have regular contact with the team managing your wait
Communication
- To have information that is accessible to you, and to have your individual communications needs met
- You will know that your referral has been received and what waiting list you are on
- You can choose how services communicate with you
- You know how to access information on what support is available to you via Swansea Bay’s Waiting Well website pages
- You can access up-to-date information about your waiting time
- You can let the team know if your symptoms or your situation are getting better or getting worse
Information
- You have access to clear information and education about your condition, including what is available in your community to help your own self-management
- You have awareness of the different treatment options available to you
- You can access and understand the information signposted to you
- You can provide feedback in a format of your choice about the services you have used, and if they have made a difference
- You have information about the digital and online tools being offered to help you be more in control of your healthcare, working alongside your clinical team
- You understand the reasons why you need to provide information and feedback, and know what it will be used for
Shared decision-making
- You have the knowledge, information and support to have the confidence to work as an equal partner in your own care
- You know the options available to you regarding treatment the support you can access has been discussed with you
- You have received sufficient information to help you make informed decisions about your care and support
- You have clear information about expectations when preparing for your treatment and surgery
Standards
As a health board we will maintain the following standards:
Welsh Language Standards
The All Wales Standards for Accessible Communication and Information for people with Sensory Loss
Go here to see the Acessibility standards for GOV.WALES
In addition we will work to address inequalities as set out in Equality ACT 2010 (Statutory Duties) (Wales) Regulations 2011 and continually undertake Equality Impact Assessment to inform our work
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.
We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.