ARCH (A Regional Collaboration for Health) is a unique collaboration between Swansea University, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board and Hywel Dda University Health Board.
The ARCH Portfolio is a collaboration which brings together health and science to:
-Transform the NHS in South West Wales;
-Train and develop the next generation of doctors, nurses, health workers, scientists, innovators and leaders; and,
-Boost the local economy by encouraging investment and creating new jobs.
The university and health boards have chosen to collaborate to create an innovative and fresh way forward for the provision of healthcare and health and wellbeing services for South West Wales. The ARCH region covers six local authority areas of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire and will benefit a population of one million people. Swansea University’s Medical School, School of Health and Social Care, Institute of Life Science and School of Management form the university element of the collaboration.
ARCH was formed because the partners believe a joined up, regional approach is the only way we will be able to tackle enduring societal and economic challenges.
ARCH has been built on the belief that by strategically integrating and regionally planning our approach to health service development, skills and education, and workforce development as well as research and innovation in the health and life science sector, we will deliver improved wellbeing for the population and increase the benefits. We recognise that by jointly planning our approach across a region of one million people, we will amplify the advantages and provide solutions to persistent challenges which have vexed the region, and indeed Wales.
The ARCH Portfolio brings together four powerful strands:
- Skills & Education
- Service Transformation
- Wellbeing
- Research, Enterprise and Innovation
Visit www.arch.wales for more information or follow us on Twitter @ARCHProg
Current status of ARCH
Over the past 18 months, the ARCH partners have put words into action, developed partnership arrangements, compelling plans, and got on with delivering those projects within our control, including ensuring ARCH is one strand of the recently signed £1.3billion Swansea Bay City Region City Deal.
The ARCH partners have now submitted their Portfolio Delivery Plan (PDP) to Welsh Government for their consideration. The PDP is essentially a roadmap to delivering the ARCH vision and lays out the many projects within the 4 programmes of Skills & Education, Service Transformation, Wellbeing and Research, Enterprise & Innovation which make up the ARCH Portfolio.
Over the next three years, the ARCH partners have committed to delivering the plans set out within the PDP document.
This is an ambitious plan – the first of its kind in this country. However, ARCH is starting from a strong place as a number of excellent processes for working collaboratively across the area are already in place. Through ARCH, there is a great opportunity to respond swiftly and effectively to the needs of our communities and to co-produce a healthier and wealthier future with them.
ARCH and the Swansea Bay City Region City Deal
The £1.3billion Swansea Bay City Region City Deal has now been signed. The investment package
approved by Westminster aims to transform the economic landscape of South West Wales.
The city deal will provide a high-spec digital infrastructure and world-class facilities in the fields of health and life science innovation, energy and smart manufacturing. The City Deal is expected to deliver nearly 10,000 new jobs and increase the value of goods and services produced in the region by £1.8billion. ARCH forms the health and wellbeing strand of the City Deal.
The deal will now accelerate specific projects within the ARCH Portfolio helping to tackle some of the causes of illness and improve the wellbeing of our communities as well as support developments in research, innovation and education alongside Morriston and Singleton hospitals.
The City Region also brings with it new way of working as a region. The ARCH partners will now be working in partnership with local authorities and industry to influence the wider determinants of health such as housing, education, transport and economic regeneration as well as capitalising on a new regional digital infrastructure and working towards digital inclusion.
