Having found that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) had the highest number of patient safety incidents reported to the National Reporting & Learning System (NRLS) ending in death between 01 Feb 2017 and 31 Jan 2018, Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, has once again voiced her concerns about the Health Board. Over the period, the Board had more patient safety incidents ending in death in BCUHB than all other Welsh Health Boards combined.
Janet said:
“That any patient in Wales dies or is harmed as a result of a patient safety incident is unacceptable.
“However, concern is far greater for me and my constituents as the number of incidents resulting in death in BCUHB was 3,900% higher than Hywel Dda, which only reported one death during the same period.
“Very worrying too is the fact that the number of incidents reported classified as severe in BCUHB were 5,200% higher than the best performing health board in Wales.
“Whilst I appreciate that the health boards might have a sporadic approach to submitting the data, the fact that so many individuals have encountered serious harm as a results of incidents at BCUHB hospitals is alarming.
“With patients’ interest at heart, and based on the fact that the Welsh Government have been in direct control of BCUHB since 2015, I have asked the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services to conduct a full investigation, explain what the safety incidents were, and what measures have or are been taken to avoid recurrence”.
Written Assembly Questions to Vaughan Gething AM, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services.
- Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the number of patient safety incidents in Wales reported to the National Reporting & Learning System as ending in death between 01 Feb 2017 and 31 Jan 2018, and explain what the 40 incidents were in BCUHB?
- Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the number of patient safety incidents in Wales classified as severe reported to the National Reporting & Learning System between 01 Feb 2017 and 31 Jan 2018, and explain what the 159 incidents were in BCUHB?
- Given that the patient safety incidents reported in Wales to the National Reporting & Learning System show that the highest number of incidents classified as sever or ending in death were at BCUHB between 01 Feb 2017 and 31 Jan 2018, will the Cabinet Secretary carry out an investigation, and explain what measures have been and will be taken to stop such incidents?
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