Plaid MS demands apology for people of north Wales over ‘Betsi chaos’
A Plaid Cymru MS has demanded an apology from the Welsh Government to the people of north Wales for “Betsi chaos” and has called for the health minister’s resignation.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) was put onto special measures on Monday after growing concerns regarding safety.
Members of the board agreed to step down due to serious concerns from Health and Social Services Minister Eluned Morgan regarding performance, leadership and culture.
Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and care, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said: “A little over two years since the ill-fated decision to take Betsi Cadwaladr prematurely out of special measures – conveniently before the 2021 Senedd elections – and we now hear that the health board is being put back into special measures, and members of the Independent Board have been made scapegoats.
“Rather than pointing the finger of blame at the board, Welsh Government should be looking closer to home.
Damning
“This is as much a failure of ministerial leadership as it is leadership within Betsi Cadwaladr. This all happened on Labour’s watch.
“The people in the north of Wales have witnessed damning report after damning report about their health service. They’re the ones that have been suffering under this dysfunction, incompetence and chaotic mess at hands of Labour Welsh Government.
“The patients and staff of Betsi Cadwaladr deserve better from their government. The least they deserve is an apology, but what we all need is the government to step up and take responsibility for this mess.
“The question is what will it take for the Health Minister consider her own position in the matter?”
Health minister Eluned Morgan said: “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.
“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.”
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As the Captain of the Titanic said, ” it will be ice hockey rather than deck quoits today ladies and gentlemen”
Why did she get the job in the first place and whose idea in London was it?
“Right, NOW it’s time for a change… let’s begin with the independent board tasked with oversight”. For all Labour’s blather about ‘grassroots’ and ‘bottom up’ for the last hundred or so years, they sure do like themselves some top-down action and they really hate themselves some criticism.
“This is as much a failure of ministerial leadership as it is leadership within Betsi Cadwaladr. This all happened on Labour’s watch.“
As a health minister you’ve been no more than office decor Eluned. Go, just go. Then Mark D, get David Brent in. Couldn’t get any worse up there.