AN INNOVATIVE funding initiative, bringing together south and west Wales health boards, has been announced.

The Welsh Government has awarded £1.2m to support an innovative new collaboration in South and West Wales.

A Regional Collaboration for Health, known as ARCH, is a partnership between Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Hywel Dda university health boards and Swansea University, which also includes local authorities, the Swansea Bay City Region Board and other key stakeholders.

ARCH aims to join up research, education, service improvement and innovative technologies to drive economic development and strengthen healthcare services.

It will develop new services based on the principles of prudent healthcare across the area, including Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, focusing on bringing care closer to people’s homes, preventing avoidable hospital admissions and promoting integrated community services.

Health and Social Services Minister, Mark Drakeford said: “Through the ARCH project, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Hywel Dda university health boards will be able to drive their future development in ways which genuinely integrate health and care services, using new technologies and services to improve access to care, which are personalised to each patient, available at a time and place which is convenient to them throughout the region.”

Hywel Dda University Health Board chief executive Steve Moore added: "We are delighted to receive this backing from Welsh Government.

"Hywel Dda is proud to be part of the Arch collaboration and we realise the potential benefits working on a regional footprint will bring to our communities."