6. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Escalation and further intervention to improve the quality of services in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:23 pm on 28 February 2023.

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Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 4:23, 28 February 2023

Thanks. Well, I think it’s really important that people understand that I do have the legal authority to dismiss independent members of the board. So, that’s the first thing: I have that authority, and I can do it immediately, and obviously we checked very carefully before we went down that path.

You talked about them starting on an important journey. Well, you know, they’ve been in targeted intervention for a long time, and prior to that in special measures. It shouldn’t be a journey that’s starting. This has been a journey that’s been ongoing for a very long time. Now, they’ve got some way down the path, but actually it’s the next step that hasn’t been taken. The fact that it has taken so long to get to the point where we’re appointing a new chief executive—. It’s really interesting, actually, just speaking to people in Welsh Government about the differences in terms of the way that the board there responds, the executives there respond. So, in other health boards, other people get on with the job. In Betsi, they wait, they ask for permission, they wait for advice. They need to get on with it. They’re responsible. They’re paid a lot of money to do a job, and they haven’t been doing that. So, the executives are not taking the kind of steps that they should have.

I think the question is not what the independent board members did, but what they didn’t do, and what they didn’t do is the next step, and that’s part of the problem. We needed them to take the next step of really focusing in on, 'So, what are you going to do about the executives?' I think what's important is that people understand that there is a role for independent members to take responsibility, but accountability is key within the system. My role is to set out some goals. This year, I have set objective targets—measurable targets—for chairs, because that is my—. I have so few tools—I am shocked by how few tools I have, as a Government Minister, to effect change in the system. So, what I'm starting to do is to crank up and use the tools that I have at my disposal in a more significant way. But, actually, that's why I'm very keen to have this review of accountability to make sure that it's very clear to everyone where this accountability lies.