5. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Update on Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:44 pm on 7 June 2022.

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Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 3:44, 7 June 2022

Thanks very much. First of all, on Improvement Cymru, you're quite right that it was an organisation that focused before on the 1000 Lives programme, which was a safety programme to support health boards and trusts in their efforts to reduce harm, waste and variation in Welsh healthcare. That included work on eliminating hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, assessing patients for risk of deep vein thrombosis, and ensuring the World Health Organization's safer surgery checklist is implemented in every surgical theatre. Now, what it didn't do is this broader approach that we are talking about now, and that's what changed in 2019 when Improvement Cymru was developed in its current form.

You are quite right, Sam, to focus on the need to improve the services that are struggling. That is precisely what we are trying to do with this approach. I will personally be overseeing this, having my regular meetings, as I did again this morning, yesterday. Last week, I had a meeting with the chair. I had another meeting with the chair of Betsi this morning. So, there's a continuous dialogue happening between me and the chair of the health board. Obviously, my officials will be doing the same thing at an executive level, and I can give you my assurance that I will be intervening personally to make sure that they are keeping on track.

I'd just like to say one other thing, and that is: let's just make sure that people are aware that there are literally tens of thousands of people being seen on a monthly basis in Betsi Cadwaladr who are actually getting good care—