Written question WQ85837

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board were placed in Targeted Intervention on the 24 November 2020 for a range of quality, governance, planning and performance issues and the health board has made progress around the areas of concern. We have a refreshed executive team, and a new operating model is being implemented from 1 August 2022. The health board’s engagement with staff, partners and the public demonstrate an increasing maturity and effectiveness, which can now support its work to implement a long term integrated clinical services strategy and the associated transformation of services. The health board has demonstrated the ability to drive improvement that enables services to be removed from special measures. Maternity services and out of hours services have both achieved this progression and now are subject to the Board’s own ongoing improvement drive.

However, there have been a number of serious patient safety and governance issues and on 7 June I announced that the targeted intervention measures for the health board should be extended to include services at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. The decision, made following a tripartite meeting with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) and Audit Wales, reflects serious and outstanding concerns about the leadership, governance, and progress in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, including the vascular service and the emergency department.

Improvement Cymru has started their intervention and were on site on the 5 and 16 July. I want to emphasise that this intervention is designed to support long-term cultural change and enhanced improvement focus. This will take at least 18 months.

However, as we needed immediate action to ensure that the emergency department in Glan Clwyd is safe, I took steps to mobilise the urgent and emergency care national team, to ensure they are supporting the department.

The health board has responded well and now has a detailed emergency department action plan in response to the HIW inspections and other concerns we have raised. Work so far has involved implementing a new triage system; SDEC (same day emergency care) systems and process; improved documentation, clinical staff training and clarity on operational procedures.

I should point out that there are areas of good practice within the health board, and this additional help and support will help to roll that out across the rest of the health board.