Welsh Government criticised over further interventions at troubled health board

Emily Price 

The Welsh Government has been accused of “outsourcing its responsibilities” following the announcement of further measures to manage a troubled health board.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) was placed under special measures just over two years ago – three years after it had been taken out of them.

It is the largest health board in Wales serving over 700,000 people across the north of the country with a budget of £1.8bn.

The entire independent board was sacked in February 2023 by former Health Minister Eluned Morgan who citied a breakdown in working relationships and performance issues within the executive team.

It came following a damning report from the Auditor General for Wales, which highlighted “deep-rooted issues” at the most senior levels within BCUHB along with serious failings on patient safety and staff shortages.

Although the health board says that good progress has been made over the last two years, it continues to face significant challenges that require ongoing government support.

On Wednesday (November 19) Health Secretary Jeremy Miles announced further interventions to be led by of a team of senior experts.

This will include the appointment of an improvement director, supported by experienced operational leads, who will work alongside the health board’s chief executive and board to “drive rapid improvements in key service areas”.

Miles says the intervention is not intended to replace operational leadership but to support it.

He said: “In the special measures progress report published 24^th October 2025 the key points were that progress has been made in strengthening governance and leadership, but performance issues remain and continue to pose risks to patient safety and public confidence.

“People are experiencing unacceptably long waiting times for planned and emergency care.

“The health board has reflected on that report and has now requested additional support to accelerate improvement.”

Critical

Welsh Conservative leader Darren Miller represents a constituency that falls within the health board’s area.

The Clwyd West MS branded BCUHB the “worst performing health board” in Wales and warned that the new measures indicate that the Welsh Government is “incapable” of turning it around.

He said: “This latest announcement appears to be an admission that the current highly paid leadership at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board simply isn’t up to job.

“The Health Board has now been in Welsh Government special measures and intervention for more than a decade, yet waiting lists are longer, emergency department performance is worse, and many patients continue to be let down and are coming to harm.

“It is abundantly clear that the Welsh Labour Government hasn’t got a grip on the situation and is incapable of turning it around.

“It’s time to declare a health emergency across Wales so we can bring an end to corridor care, urgently increase bed capacity, clear the waiting list backlog, and deliver the safe and timely care that patients need and deserve.”

Plaid Cymru politicians have also held a consistently critical view of the Welsh Government’s handling of BCUHB with the party warning it can’t currently serve people in north Wales effectively.

Plaid’s health spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor, argues that the Welsh Government’s special measures frameworks don’t work.

He said: “This is a failure entirely of this Labour Government’s own making. They sacked the board and appointed their own people and appointed a new Chief Executive not long afterwards. Now they are saying that they want to appoint more people.

“We have said numerous times that the escalation measures framework is not fit for purpose and clinicians, health managers and the public have lost faith in it. Instead of listening to us this Labour Government went ahead and made it even more convoluted.

“This is a damning indictment of the Government who have failed completely to show leadership and improve culture, with the people of north Wales suffering as a consequence.

“The government has outsourced their responsibilities yet again to external people to do their work for them. There is a vacuum of leadership within the government – a Labour Government that has run out of authority and run out of ideas.”

Improvements

The health board’s new improvement team will focus on reducing ambulance handover delays and waiting times for planned treatment and diagnostic tests as well as reducing waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The Welsh Government says the changes will also seek to further strengthen governance, assurance, and leadership capability.

The intervention will be in place for six months before being evaluated and will be delivered in partnership with NHS Performance and Improvement teams currently with the health board.