A Welsh health board has been put into special measures for the second time in the last five years after "serious concers" were raised about its performance, leadership, and culture. The Welsh Government announced that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has been put into special measures with the board stepping aside.
Last week a new report by Audit Wales said the health board, which covers north Wales and is the biggest health board in Wales, had "fractured working relationships" which were described as "deep-seated problems". It said a lack of confidence in the health board's management, which includes four different chief executives since 2019, had led some individuals to challenge team members in a way that was "perceived by some to be hostile and inappropriate." It added that this had "adversely affected working relationships and functionality within the wider board" and led to an inability to resolve issues including soaring demand.
Health and social care minister Eluned Morgan said there was a "large degree of inconsistency in safety, performance, and quality" of NHS services across the region as a result of the issues raised. Following this report, the chair, vice-chair, and independent members of the board have all agreed they will step aside. New members will be appointed to the board to lead the organisation. Ms Morgan said she had already made a number of direct appointments to the board to ensure stability. Get stories like this directly to your inbox by signing up to our Wales Matters newsletter here.
Read more: Four people died in a Welsh health board but the coroner was not fully informed
Ms Morgan said: “I have serious concerns around the performance of the health board and I have not seen the improvement in services I expect for the people of north Wales. I have therefore decided to take action to rectify this.
“I have informed the board that I am putting the organisation back into special measures with immediate effect. This significant decision is made in line with the escalation framework. It reflects serious concerns about the performance of the organisation, about its governance, and issues with leadership and culture that are holding back progress.
“I recognise that the health board has had significant challenges for a number of years and has worked hard to overcome these challenges. But now is the time for new leadership to deliver the improvements that are needed.”
She added: "Every day thousands of people are receiving good care from the NHS in north Wales but there is a large degree of inconsistency in safety, performance, and quality across the region – addressing this inconsistency will be the focus of the new board. Whilst special measures will apply to the organisation I wish to reassure both patients and communities served by the health board, as well as the staff working for it, that day-to-day services and activities will continue with an increased focus on quality and safety.”
The non-executive team will be led by Dyfed Edwards as the new chair of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. He is a former leader of Gwynedd Council and the deputy chair of the Welsh Revenue Authority. The new chair is tasked with renewing the leadership and culture of the health board in order to support its workforce to provide safe and effective services for the people of north Wales.
Mr Edwards will be supported by Gareth Williams, Karen Balmer, and Rhian Watcyn Jones as interim independent members of the board. Further direct appointments will follow in the next few weeks. A campaign to recruit new independent members to the board who will take the organisation forward beyond this initial period of stabilisation will commence later this year.
The health board came out of special measures in November 2020 and was subject to targeted intervention as part of the Welsh Government’s escalation and intervention framework to deal with issues within its health system. The Welsh Government has made £82m of additional funding available to the health board per year over three and half years in a bid to improve its services.
READ NEXT:
- Investigation launched after £122m found missing from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board accounts
New hospital a step closer as public asked to pick preferred site on edge of Welsh town
75,000 people are waiting a year or more for outpatient appointments in Wales
The bleak picture of how bad cancer waiting times are in Wales
