Cardiff and Vale Primary, Community & Intermediate Care (PCIC) Academy
Primary care services provide the first point of contact in the healthcare system, acting as the ‘front door’ to the National Health Service (NHS).
Primary care includes General Medical Services (GMS) (also known as GP practices), community pharmacy, dental and optometry (eye health) services. For further information on this, please visit Home - Primary Care One (nhs.wales).
Community care services are there to help people who need additional care and support to live with dignity and independence in the community. They also help to reduce hospital admissions by allowing people to receive care closer to home. These services can provide support across a range of needs and age groups, but most often support older people, children, those living with chronic conditions or those who are near the end of life. Careers within the Community include: working in care homes, community healthcare hubs, clinics and within people’s homes.
Intermediate care, also known as enhanced community care, is a multi-professional health and social care approach. These services help those who are at risk of health and social crises, reduce hospital admissions and provide step-down support to facilitate hospital discharges.
The vision for the Academy is for a range of professionals such as General Practitioners (GPs), Pharmacists, Allied Health Professionals, Nurses, Community Staff, and non-registrants to work together to deliver excellent, person-centred health and social care to the local population. The development of the multi-professional workforce is an essential component of delivering the Primary Care Model for Wales.
The Academy will facilitate training and education for a broad range of professionals working in PCIC. They will ensure that the multi-professional workforce has access to the necessary training, education, and associated support to deliver a wide range of services for the patient population in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
There are 5 areas the Academy will support with:
- New to Primary Care: Building workforce sustainability through education and training
- New Roles: Understanding and integrating new roles and helping to induct and support staff that are new to primary care
- Professional Development: Supporting the workforce to maintain excellence and develop their careers
- Multi-Professional Learning: Promoting and expanding inter-professional learning opportunities across contractors and those delivering services across PCIC
- Future Workforce: Developing new learning, training and career experiences and opportunities
As the PCIC Academy matures, we will continue to support the development of integrated health and care, engaging with a wide range of people working in social care and the third sector to provide the best service for patients in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.