Concerns surrounding the vascular services provision for patients in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board made the headlines once again last week after the second part of the Royal College of Surgeons’ report was published.

Siân Gwenllian MS, who represents the Arfon constituency in the Senedd brandished the report’s findings as “damning” and has supported plans to place the services into special measures.

The local Member of the Sendd claims that the report exposes the “the huge mistake” of reconfiguring the service and dismantling the “world-class unit” at Bangor, and that the hub-and-spoke model chose by the Health Board was “questionable considering the huge geographic area.”

The MS for Arfon said: “Instead of developing the already well-established and excellent service at Ysbyty Gwynedd they chose to invest in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. I have always questioned this decision and the motives behind such an ill-thought-out move.

“This report gives a damning review of 44 sets of case notes and the serious nature of the concerns about the quality of care and safety of the service.

“Deficiencies have been exposed in care, record keeping, consent-taking and follow-up in a number of the cases.

“I have already called for a public inquiry and I know that the Health Minister is considering putting the Board into special measures or targeted intervention.  I would support that move.”

In a statement on Thursday Eluned Morgan MS, Minister for Health and Social Services said that she was “disappointed and concerned by this most recent report.”

“The cases reviewed here involve real people and their families and there will be many others who may be worrying about the quality of the care they have received or are about to receive and whether this service is safe. I expect the health board to address these issues with immediate effect and put a plan and processes in place to contact and review patients appropriately and sensitively, to provide them with information and assurance as well as to address the other recommendations made by the RCS.”

A copy of the report can be found here: Vascular Services – Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (nhs.wales)