Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies has expressed his surprise at the Health Minister’s announcement this afternoon that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is to come out of special measures with immediate effect.
Making his Statement in the Welsh Parliament this afternoon, the Health Minister, Vaughan Gething MS, described the move as “a positive step forward for every community in North Wales that is served by the health board”, but James is concerned that there has not been the improvement in performance needed to justify such a move.
He said:
“Regrettably, I am not aware of the kind of improvements which may warrant taking Betsi Cadwaladr out of special measures – other perhaps than the fact that the special measures themselves appear to have been ineffectual.
“This health board has been in special measures almost six years, the longest of any health organisation in the UK, and yet, despite the best efforts of all the hardworking staff, we have continued to see failure after failure. My postbag and personal experience tells me that NHS services in North Wales have a long way to go before they meet the standard of those elsewhere in the UK.
“Most recently, during the pandemic, we have seen worrying management of Covid-19 outbreaks within local hospitals, the incorrect reporting of Covid deaths, the inappropriate discharge of mental health patients, and a real failure to get elective care back up and running – with the consequence that waiting times are absolutely abysmal and far worse than in other parts of the UK.”
“Many staff tell me of the need for a management overhaul. In light of this, it is quite bewildering that this decision has been taken before the new Chief Executive has even arrived.
“It remains the case that major transformation is required to NHS provision in North Wales, focussed particularly on the culture and governance of the Health Board, as well as individual services, particularly mental health.”
“Moving forward, I would like to see directly comparable UK-wide statistics for healthcare performance and outcomes, as well as robust inspection mechanisms to match those in place in England, so that there can be no hiding place for services which are letting patients and staff down.”
