The Labour Government in Cardiff Bay have admitted that health services in a North Wales hospital have reached such a low standard that they have had to put it into targeted intervention.
Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Denbighshire joins the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board it is a part of in the second highest classification of intervention, with a particular focus on the vascular service and the emergency department.
In a statement to the Senedd, Labour Health Minister Eluned Morgan MS said: “The board must do better to connect with and engage with its staff. There have been a series of concerns raised about workforce wellbeing, harassment, bullying and examples of staff feeling unable to speak out.”
She added: “vascular services have been challenged since the service was centralised… But the service remains fragile. There have been some serious incidents over the last few months and the benefits of the recent changes have not yet been realised”.
She also admitted that: “it has become clear that the health board’s current systems are largely reactive. External reviews have pointed to significant gaps in fundamental aspects of clinical service standards, including record keeping, incident management, team working, reporting concerns, leadership, and morale. Many processes, whilst in place are not sufficient in capacity or breadth to provide systematic assurance in these areas”.
The Welsh Conservatives are holding a debate where the Labour Government will be called on to return the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board into a reformed set of special measures tomorrow.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS said:
“The standard of healthcare at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd has been so low for so long that this was only a matter of time.
“I do not for a moment place the blame at the door of hard-working staff, let down by a system that has failed to get a grip on North Wales’ health board for years, who have suffered as much from burnout and lack of leadership as much as patients have from record-long A&E waits.
“However, the problems go far beyond this one hospital as it is clear the problems facing patients in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd extend from Holyhead to Wrexham, made worse by the decision of the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay to take the health board out of special measures six months before an election without proof of improvement.
“The Minister should have used this statement to announce Betsi Cadwaladr was returning to a reformed set of special measures. We hope the Senedd will back our calls to do so in our debate tomorrow.”
