Home / Health / Wales Health Board Gets Final Improvement Chance
Wales Health Board Gets Final Improvement Chance
30 Jun
Summary
- Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board is in special measures for the ninth consecutive year.
- The Welsh government will now take a more direct role in oversight.
- Two-year patient waits are significantly higher in this health board area.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, serving all of north Wales, is under the highest level of oversight for the ninth consecutive year. Persistent concerns regarding care quality, patient safety, and leadership have led the Welsh government to adopt a more direct role.
An expert panel will review the situation, reporting by the end of October. Health Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor has warned that all options are on the table if progress is insufficient, emphasizing that there will be no second chances for leadership. He praised the staff, calling them "victims of this sorry saga."
The health board was first placed in special measures in 2015. Despite previous attempts to exit these measures, including a period where 'genuine progress' was noted in November 2020, it was reinstated in 2023 due to ongoing issues and critical reports. Many key NHS performance figures show Betsi Cadwaladr as Wales's worst performer.
Significantly, two-thirds of the 3,694 patients in Wales waiting over two years for planned care reside within this health board's area. The current intervention aims to strengthen expectations for board bosses, with NHS Wales Performance and Improvement tasked with reducing long waits for cancer treatment, tackling ambulance handover delays, and addressing two-year waits. A dedicated team will also focus on improving urgent and emergency care services.
