The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has spoken of her concern and alarm following the publication of a report that found widespread failings in the vascular services offered by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
The Royal College of Surgeons were asked by the Health Board to review vascular services and has completed a two stage report into the service. The report reviewed 44 sets of case notes and found deficiencies in care, record keeping, consent-taking and follow-up in a number of the cases examined. The investigation document covers a period from 2014 through to July 2021.
Commenting on the report’s findings, Janet said:
“I am deeply alarmed that this review team found the majority of surgical notes and supporting correspondence to have been disorganised, illegible or incomplete. For transparency and safety, it is vital that urgent steps are taken to ensure detailed recording of patient discussions and outcomes, particularly as it pertains to whether they received appropriate clinical follow-up.
“With patients enduring unacceptable delayed waiting periods for MDT decisions and others discharged without a care plan, this report once again exposes much broader problems around the culture and management of the Health Board.
“It is clear that the over-centralisation of services into Glan Clwyd has resulted in unacceptable lapses in expected standards, placing patients at risk. The people of North Wales deserve better which is why I will continue to press to ensure that our smaller hospitals play an greater role in our health service.
“Whilst I note that Health Board have apologised to patients, I will now be pressing for much greater detail on the revised vascular improvement plan to ensure that all recommendations made by the RCS are actioned in full.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- To read the Health Board statement, please click here.
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
