MP expresses deep concern about healthcare provision across North Wales

This follows a further series of announcements relating to healthcare provision across North Wales, along with an increasing number of requests for help in accessing treatment from residents throughout Aberconwy.

Inspectors of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) have said in a report that there is "clear and significant risk to patient safety" after inspections at the A&E department in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Denbighshire.

Earlier this year, vascular services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board were also designated as needing "significant improvement”.

Last week, it was announced a second hospital in England will take some vascular patients from North Wales because of that service's fragility.

This report follows a similar report published in May which revealed that the A&E department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd is the worst-performing in Wales, with two-thirds of patients waiting more than four hours to be seen.

The report published in May, which identified the department as a “service requiring significant improvement”, outlined assessments carried out between March 8 and 10, and May 3 and 5, and catalogued a series of safety concerns.

These include:

• Frequent absence of patient monitoring and safety checks.

• Non-observance of national clinical policies as well as management procedures and processes.

• Evidence of a failure to learn from or share critical incidents.

• Non-compliance with mandatory training.

• Excessive delays.

• A culture in which management were either unaware of concerns or did not respond when those concerns were brought to them.

The report additionally details infection prevention and control issues.

It was also revealed in May that three incidents which could have caused serious harm or death in North Wales hospitals are being investigated.

READ MORE:

NHS: Welsh Government accused of 'failing' North Wales over Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

Woman books urgent appointment after 'hearing nothing' from Rhyl hospital for 11 weeks

A Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board report has revealed that two of the cases were described as "wrong site surgery", a term that refers to a surgery performed on the wrong area of the patient, the wrong patient, or the wrong procedure.

The incidents, described as "never events", are said to be preventable as guidance is available and should have been implemented.

The third incident under investigation relates to a swab having been left inside a patient.

The report published this week by HIW highlighted that inspectors found staff who were "working above and beyond in challenging conditions" during a period of "unrelenting demand".

But inspectors said that the health board was not fully compliant with many of the health and care standards, and highlighted significant areas of concern, which could present an immediate risk to the safety of patients.

The report states inspectors found:

• Doctors were left to "come across" high-risk patients instead of being alerted to them.

• Patients were not monitored enough - including a suspected stroke patient and one considered a suicide risk.

• Used underwear was discovered among dirty equipment found in cupboards.

• Cupboards containing prescription-only medicines, scalpels and needles were left unlocked.

• Children were at serious risk of harm as the public could enter the paediatric area unchallenged.

• An adult patient was in the paediatric area when a child was receiving care there.

• Inspectors found evidence of children leaving unseen or being discharged against medical advice.

North Wales Community Health Council’s Geoff Ryall-Harvey said: “This is the worst situation we've seen.

“People tell us if they have a stroke they're going straight up to Liverpool or Arrowe Park, so there is that reputational damage and the loss of confidence."

Mr Millar added: “Ensuring patient safety and easier access to better healthcare services for residents in Aberconwy is a priority of mine.

“Even though health is a devolved service in Wales, I receive correspondence regularly from concerned patients, seeking help - many of whom tell harrowing stories of genuine distress and long-term pain.

“The reality is this is just the latest revelation of problems into a range of services which go back almost a decade now in North Wales.

“This goes beyond local management and frontline professionals - many of which are roles that have been filled by different people during this period.

“For the sake of patients' safety and interests we must now also ask real questions of the Welsh Government’s ability to bring the necessary improvements to the NHS in Wales.

“We have particular problems in North Wales but let's be clear - more than one in five people in Wales is on an NHS waiting list, contrasting to less than one in 10 in England.

“In Wales, referral to treatment times are double those in England.

“And across Wales, average waiting times for orthopaedic, trauma and eye surgery are nearly three times longer than if you live over the border in Chester.

“UK citizens and residents are surely entitled to access a minimum standard of treatment and service wherever they are across the United Kingdom.

“But that is not the case in Wales; especially North Wales.

"Along with my fellow North Wales Conservative MPs, I will continue to press colleagues in the UK Government to discuss options going forward and offer whatever support and scrutiny they can to assist my constituents.

“At the same time, I want to reiterate my great admiration and gratitude for the many professionals working tirelessly for us here in North Wales and in Aberconwy - in our hospitals and our GP surgeries, our pharmacies and our care homes - to deliver health and care services.

“I've commented many times before on my discussions with, and support for, the chief executive and chairman of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

“They have made incredible efforts to improve things for us in North Wales.

“I do see a course they have plotted to improvement, but they cannot do it alone. I will do what we can to support them on that improvement journey.”