Surprise as Betsi taken out of special measures
MOVE WELCOMED ...BUT THERE’S CONCERN IT COMES SO SOON AFTER MINISTER VOICED DOUBTS
BETSI Cadwaladr University Health Board is to be taken out of special measures after five years, the health minister has confirmed.
The health board will be deescalated from special measures to targeted intervention with immediate effect. Services including maternity and out-ofhours came out of special measures in 2019.
The dramatic u-turn comes just six weeks after health minister Vaughan Gething said there were “long-standing issues” over the situation in North Wales which might require external support.
He said BCUHB still needed to improve leadership and governance, managing its finances, delivering mental health services and upgrading performance in acute medicine.
But in a surprise turn of events last week, Mr Gething said: “I have decided that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board will come out of special measures and move into targeted intervention.
“My decision is informed by the advice I received following a meeting between the Chief Executive of NHS Wales, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and Audit Wales.
“We have seen improvements across the health board and have greater confidence that it will make further progress.
“Throughout the pandemic the organisation has worked hard to play its role in caring for people affected by the virus.
“During what has been an unsettling time for public health across the world, I’m pleased to announce this positive news for North Wales and NHS Wales.”
He added: “I want to thank everyone at the health board who has contributed to improving services.
“The progress has only been made because of the commitment and hard work of our staff.
“Whilst there has been improvement, there are still areas of concern such as mental health and the health board fully recognises there is still further work to do.
“Targeted intervention is still a heightened level of escalation that requires significant action on the part of the health board.”
Mr Gething said the Welsh Government has committed a further £82m per year over three-and-a-half years to support the health board as it enters a new phase under targeted intervention and continues its ongoing work to improve.
The investment will be used to improve unscheduled care, build sustainable planned care, including orthopaedics and deliver improvements in mental health services.
Reacting to the news, Welsh Conservative health spokesperson Andrew RT Davies MS questioned how the situation could have radically changed in such a short space of time.
He said: “After five years of special measures - the longest of any health organisation in the UK - any genuine progress at Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board would have to be welcomed.
“Staff and volunteers have gone above and beyond to deliver health services to the people of North Wales that they deserve, especially during Covid-19.
“Their dedicated and hard work needs to be commended.
“However, concerns over governance and delivery of services for the people of North Wales are as pertinent today as when the health board entered special measures ures under the stewarddship of this health h minister in 2015.
“Let’s ask the most important question about this decision: what has happened since last t month to so radicallly improve things at the board?”
Mr Davies quoted the health minister who just six weeks ago on October 7, said “there remained concerns on performance and strategic solutions that may require specific external support.”
Mr Davies said: “I’ve heard of miraculous recoveries, but not like this, not when services have been so bad for so long. “We do hope this is not a cynical electoral ploy ahead of May’s Senedd elections, and marks a genuine first step to turning the organisation into an effective provider of first class health care, where patient safety and delivery of quality services in North Wales comes first.”
A joint statement from Welsh Labour Senedd Members said: “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, NHS staff in North Wales have worked heroically to help protect people. “Today’s welcome news that BCUHB has come out of specia special measures is recogn ognition of how the he health board has managed the pandemic and implemented significant improvements. “The work of im improving health se services in North Wa Wales will continue and t today’s announcement w will provide very welcome assurance to patients and staff that Betsi Cadwaladr is heading in the right direction.”