Minister deploys senior team to North Wales health board as it continues in special measures
The Welsh Government has announced additional support for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board as part of its ongoing level 5 special measures intervention.
Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said the board continues to face significant and persistent challenges in delivering safe, timely and effective care, particularly in planned care, cancer services and urgent and emergency care.
The board has been in level 5 special measures since February 2023.
It previously spent more than five years under the highest level of Welsh Government intervention between 2015 and 2020.
A report earlier this year noted that Betsi Cadwaladr has the largest proportion of long waits in Wales.
The health board serves more than 700,000 people across North Wales and employs more than 19,000 staff.
A special measures progress report published on 24 October said governance and leadership had improved, but performance issues remained and continued to pose risks to patient safety and public confidence.
The report said people are experiencing unacceptably long waiting times for planned and emergency care.
Mr Miles said the health board had reflected on that report and had asked for further support.
He said, “Today I am announcing further measures to support Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and improve patient care and experiences as part of the ongoing level 5, special measures intervention.”
He said, “Despite some signs of improvement since the health board was escalated to in special measures in February 2023, it has faced significant and persistent challenges in delivering safe, timely, and effective care, particularly in relation to planned care, cancer and urgent and emergency services.”
He said, “The health board has reflected on that report and has now requested additional support to accelerate improvement.”
Mr Miles confirmed that additional senior level capacity and expertise will be placed inside the organisation, with support from NHS Performance and Improvement.
The new team will include an improvement director and experienced operational leads, who will work with the chief executive and board.
He said the support is not intended to replace operational leadership but to assist it.
The work will focus on reducing ambulance handover delays, improving patient flow, reducing waiting times for planned treatment and diagnostic tests, improving cancer diagnosis and treatment times and further strengthening governance and leadership capability.
The support will be in place for an initial six months before it is evaluated. The intervention will operate under agreed terms of reference and accountability arrangements.
Mr Miles said the intervention will be delivered in partnership with NHS Performance and Improvement teams already working with the board.
He said he will want to know what more can be done to accelerate the recommendations of the Ministerial Advisory Group of Performance and Productivity and the mandatory enabling actions in the 2025 to 2028 Planning Framework.
He said, “Regular progress reports will be provided, including outcomes.”
He said, “This decision reflects our commitment to the Duty of Quality under the NHS Wales Act 2006 and our clear aim to improve NHS services for people in North Wales.”
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