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Exec exodus hits under-fire health board
23 Sep
Summary
- Third of executive directors have left the health board.
- Patient safety remains challenged with 13 "never events".
- Health minister expects improvements by end of September.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) in North Wales is experiencing a significant leadership crisis, having lost a third of its executive directors. This comes after the health minister issued a "final chance" for improvement in June. Reports indicate that patient safety remains a persistent challenge, with 13 "never events" occurring between August 2025 and July 2026.
The departures include the director of nursing and midwifery, the chief operating officer, the executive director of finance, and the director of environment and estates. The Health Minister described these departures as "exemplifying the problems" at BCUHB, emphasizing the need for swift improvement.
An independent panel is currently reviewing patient safety, leadership, and culture at the health board, which has been under special measures since February 2023. The review is expected to conclude by the end of October, with the minister anticipating improvements by the end of September. BCUHB has stated that robust plans are in place to ensure leadership continuity and organizational resilience during this period of change.
