With Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) entering the 5th year of special measures, Janet and her fellow Welsh Conservative AMs led a debate yesterday holding Vaughan Gething AM, Minister for Health and Social Services, to account for failure to achieve improvements across the board and the need for him to accept full responsibility for the continued problems which cause the service to remain under Welsh Government control.
The Welsh Conservative motion received cross party support, and saw Janet stand up for the patients and staff here in North Wales.
On this sad anniversary, Janet said:
“I greatly regret that our North Wales health board is entering a fifth year of special measures.
“Sadly, serious concerns remain, especially with regards to finance and mental health services. Also a report published last month highlighted a number of issues, including the fact that staff on the front line are explaining that staffing is worse, that they are exhausted, and do not expect positive change in the foreseeable future.
“After 13 written statements and three external investigations, that we are still at the dark point is unacceptable.
“There are two key steps that the Welsh Conservatives and I believe need to be taken immediately so to improve the chance of having a better future for the board, its staff, and the quarter of the population of Wales who rely on it.
“The first is for Vaughan Gething to resign.
“New leadership would bring fresh impetus to rescuing the board. Already, Vaughan has had around 1,500 days of influence, and despite this, earlier this week admitted that the health board still does not have a sustainable clinical strategy in place.
“Also, expenditure has become a monetary migraine under his watch, with money being lost in all directions, such as £900,000 on just eight health legal cases, £1 million to a fine for failing to hit waiting time targets, and £34 million on agency staff in 2017-18.
“The Health Minister has had the longest amount of time in the history of the NHS to pull a service out of special measures, so on this unwanted anniversary, I do believe that it is time to change leadership and bring in suitable and experienced professionals to guide BCUHB towards a better future”.
You can find Janet's full Assembly speech online here.
