Health & Social Care Committee inquiry into supporting people with chronic conditions

Case Study:

Neath Port Talbot Mind & Neath Port Talbot Stroke Group

Wellbeing After Stroke Project

Wellbeing After Stroke Project (WASP) is a partnership project between Neath Port Talbot Mind and Neath Port Talbot Stroke Group. Through the partnership the organisations bring together their expertise on mental health and stroke to provide support to people who have experience a stroke.

With £338,567 from the National Lottery across 3 years, WASP offers stroke survivors, their loved ones and carers access to wellbeing sessions, talking therapies, psycho-educational courses and group/peer support. Initial access is through a Pathfinder role who works with each person to co-create a plan to support their mental wellbeing - importantly, this plan may or may not contain mental health specific actions (e.g. it might be that someone wants support with finances or home adaptations). The Pathfinder will then signpost, refer and/or support people to access the support identified in their individual plan.  

WASP is delivered across NPT with a team of 6 people. NPT Stroke Group host a vibrant weekly drop-in for up to 90 people and most of the WASP team attend that to get to know people, build relationships, promote awareness of the project. This enables participants to gently open up and begin to normalise conversations about mental health. NPT Mind receives direct referrals from that drop in and also from a wide range of agencies across NPT, for example, from Swansea Bay UHB, GPs, other local Stroke Groups, the Stroke Association, stroke rehabilitation services, Social Workers and Local Area Coordinators. People also self refer, this is particularly noticeable after undertaking promotion at events or via social media. 

Case Study

B - a carer of a stroke survivor - became aware of NPT WASP through being a member of Neath Port Talbot Stroke Group. B shared struggles with grief and loss and anxiety about the future. Through WASP, B attended wellbeing sessions, a psycho-educational group course and counselling. B was also signposted to Welfare Rights Support as financial difficulty was a trigger for their anxiety.

At initial assessment B obtained a clinical score of 24 (CORE-10), indicating moderate to severe psychological distress. Upon completion of a series of counselling sessions, B's Core-10 was 9 - outside of the clinical range. 

Participant feedback

“The support I have received has been amazing. I struggle with confidence to speak due to aphasia, but here I am made to feel comfortable and not rushed, it’s helped me massively.”

“Just walking through the door makes me feel calm, I know I’m in a safe place here.”

“When I came to talk to you, I didn’t honestly think this would help, but I was desperate and willing to try anything. Now I want to tell everyone how amazing this support is. I know so many people must feel the way I did, and I want them to be able to feel as good and positive as I do now too.”

“I've loved the project. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions. Every week of the course has been awesome in it's own way. I've made friends in similar situation to myself I'm keeping in touch with.”