Regional Integration Fund

The Health and Social Care Regional Integration Fund is a five year Welsh Government programme running from April 2022 to March 2027 to help with integrating health and social care services.

Priority Population Groups

There is a set of priority groups which the fund aims to help develop new models of care for, these groups are:

Models of Care

The fund outlines a set of models of care, which are:

Community Based Care:

Prevention and Community Coordination

Services in the community aiming to prevent residents from longer term health or wellbeing issues, for example: befriending groups, community hubs, support for carers and access to well-being services.

Complex Care Closer to Home

Supporting the D2RA Pathways by providing seamless, integrated care that promotes recovery, maximizes independence, and addresses complex health and social care needs through reablement, community rehabilitation, and coordinated support at home.

Promoting Good Emotional Health and Well-being

Regional Partnership Boards should align their investments in Emotional Health and Well-Being (EH&WB) services with population needs assessments, using RIF funding to complement existing mental health services and support models that empower individuals, enhance organisational support, promote engagement, and implement the NYTH/NEST framework for children and young people.

Supporting Families to Stay Together Safely, and Therapeutic Support for Care Experienced Children

The Regional Integration Fund supports prevention and early intervention by funding integrated models of care that help families stay together safely, align with local children’s services priorities, and provide cooperative responses for families and children, including those with complex health, behavioural, or care needs, as well as care-experienced children requiring tailored support.

Home from Hospital

Care and support should prioritise helping people stay well at home through preventative and rapid-response community care. For those requiring hospital treatment, the focus is on enabling safe, timely discharge to support recovery at home, creating capacity within health and care systems. The Regional Integration Fund builds on previous initiatives, funding integrated models of care to implement the D2RA framework, ensuring swift, safe transitions from hospital, maximising recovery, and reducing reliance on long-term care through reablement and community rehabilitation.

Accommodation Based Solutions

Developing accommodation that supports independent living and meets care needs is essential to the health and care system. Collaboration with housing providers, social landlords, care providers, and home adaptation services is key. Regional Partnership Boards should align capital opportunities with the RIF to maximise investment. This model includes independent living with integrated support, facilities for short-term care and therapy, accommodation for children with complex needs, and home adaptations.