The time is still not right for Betsi to lift special measures
THE FIRST Minister has said the North Wales health board is not yet ready to come out of special measures – despite making big improvements.
Carwyn Jones made the comments to our sister paper the Daily Post almost two years after the Government stepped in to save the troubled Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
But he admitted he did not know when the measures would be lifted saying it would “continue until we are satisfied that the board can fly by itself.”
He said: “The situation has improved greatly over the past two years, there are still challenges, we want to make sure that the board continues with its good work and the progress it has made over the last two years because those challenges remain.
“The board is not ready to come out of special measures, but I know the board is very focused on wrestling with the remaining challenges.”
The health board was placed in special measures in June 2015 following a meeting between Welsh Government officials, the Wales Audit Office and Health Inspectorate Wales.
The then Health Minister Mark Drakeford said at the time the move reflected the “serious and outstanding concerns about the leadership, governance and progress in the health board”.
Carwyn Jones now feels the Board is moving in the right direction.
“We have seen a big improvement in the delivery of health across the whole of the North. We are seeing now the SURNICC (sub-regional neonatal intensive care centre) being delivered in Glan Clwyd and where, for example, GPs have decided not to continue their contract, the health board has taken over those surgeries. Prestatyn is a good example of that and has provided a better service for people.
“So, things have improved but the time isn’t right yet to take the board out of special measures.”
He added: “It’s not about how long this takes, it’s about how much better the service should be and special measures will continue until we are satisfied that the board can fly by itself and deliver the services that people would expect.”
He said he felt the right steps had been taken to continue any improvements made.
But North Wales AM Llyr Gruffydd accused the First Minister of having “his head in the sand” in believing health care in the region is working well.
He said: “NHS staff are doing a fantastic job under the circumstances, but the strain of dealing with staff shortages means cracks are starting to show.
“It’s up to this Government to address those real problems rather than papering over the cracks.
“The critical problem facing Betsi is a shortage of doctors and nurses. The Welsh Government should be taking the initiative in ensuring more doctors and nurses are trained here in the North because then they are far more likely to stay here. The health board will shortly be going out to India to try to recruit more nurses because of an ongoing failure of workforce planning.
“This is a sticking plaster solution when we need longterm answers.”