Flintshire council signs letter warning of health crisis in North Wales
Flintshire Council has joined five other North Wales local authorities in raising serious concerns about hospital care after council leaders signed a joint letter warning of a developing health emergency across the region.
The letter, sent on behalf of all six North Wales councils, was addressed to the chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Welsh Government Health Minister, Jeremy Miles.
It sought clarification on whether a new policy had been introduced that places patients “in corridors all night on wards” at North Wales’s three major hospitals.
Concerns raised in the letter were followed by a motion debated at Conwy County Council, where councillors voted unanimously to declare a health emergency.
The motion, tabled by Conwy carers’ champion Cheryl Carlisle and seconded by Cllr Jo Nuttall, warned that health services in the region are “in crisis” and called for urgent action, reports the Local Democracy Service.
It demanded the reopening of community hospital beds, an end to corridor care in emergency departments, an immediate halt to premature patient discharges, and the reinstatement of the stalled Conwy West Health Centre project and its funding.
Conwy County Council leader Julie Fallon told councillors the situation had worsened and said there appeared to have been a policy change by the health board, resulting in patients being placed in corridors on hospital wards.
She said the lack of response to the joint letter from both the health board’s chief executive, Carol Shillabeer, and the Health Minister was “really shocking”.
“This is a loss of dignity, and it’s stripping patients of their self-respect, if this is happening, and it’s completely unfair to our amazing staff,” she said.
“I call upon Betsi to actually respond to the six North Wales leaders that have written to you asking for clarity on this. I think they’ve had a week now, and the fact that we’ve had no response, it’s really shocking. The fact that the Health Minister hasn’t responded, it’s incredibly disappointing.”
The notice of motion cited Section 28 Coroners Reports, stating that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board now has the highest number of preventable deaths in Wales, with many linked to prolonged waits in accident and emergency departments.
It also warned that pressure on local authority social care services, including in Conwy, was becoming unsustainable and that health outcomes for residents were deteriorating.
“We represent the people of Conwy, and the Betsi board and the Welsh Government need to know that we will no longer put up with this dangerous and substandard care for our residents,” Cllr Carlisle said when introducing the motion.
Check live fuel prices near you before you set off.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email news (@) deeside.com
NEW: Add Deeside.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Latest News
