In response to Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Vaughan Gething MS, First Minister, yesterday admitted that there has “been an issue and some people were missed for follow-up” at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
In an effort to combat the huge number of patients needing appointments, the Health Board turned to insourcing: which is entering contracts with external healthcare providers to provide clinical teams to attend Health Board sites and see patients.
However, due to funding pressure, the Health Board made a decision to halt insourcing with effect from April 2023. This left numerous patient pathways stranded and in the lurch for months with little or no communication.
As Helen Stevens-Jones, Director of Partnerships, Engagement and Communication, stated: “their treatment journey paused”.
Commenting on the First Minister’s response, Janet said:
“This is sadly another example of patients being let down by the health system in North Wales. 8,568 patient pathways are waiting over 2 years to start treatment in Betsi Health Board, that’s 3,600% more than the whole of England.
“The Health Board has informed me that they regret the process of transferring patients from insourcing treatment pathways back into the Health Board’s in-house services as it has been much more complex and time-consuming than originally anticipated.
“It really is heart breaking knowing that people are desperately waiting for their results and being told by the Health Board that they can’t access their results because they’re on some private clinics system.
“I am please that the First Minister acknowledged this issue, but he needs to do more to solve it, and provide justice for those patients literally paused. I am not seeing any improvements yet so I encourage the Welsh Government to get on top of this immediately.”
ENDS
Mewn ymateb i Janet Finch-Saunders A, cyfaddefodd Vaughan Gething A, Prif Weinidog Cymru, ddoe bod "problem wedi codi a bod rhai pobl wedi colli eu hapwyntiad dilynol" ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr.
Mewn ymdrech i fynd i'r afael â'r nifer enfawr o gleifion oedd angen apwyntiadau, trodd y Bwrdd Iechyd at fewnoli: sef dod i gytundeb gyda darparwyr gofal iechyd allanol i ddarparu timau clinigol i fynychu safleoedd y Bwrdd Iechyd a gweld cleifion.
Fodd bynnag, oherwydd pwysau cyllido, penderfynodd y Bwrdd Iechyd roi'r gorau i’r trefniant hwn o fis Ebrill 2023. Gadawodd hyn nifer o lwybrau cleifion yn nhir neb a hynny am fisoedd heb fawr ddim cyfathrebu, os o gwbl.
Fel y dywedodd Helen Stevens-Jones, Cyfarwyddwr Partneriaethau, Ymgysylltu a Chyfathrebu: "roedd eu taith triniaeth wedi cael ei oedi".
Wrth sôn am ymateb y Prif Weinidog, dywedodd Janet:
"Yn anffodus, dyma enghraifft arall o gleifion yn cael eu siomi gan y system iechyd yng Ngogledd Cymru. Mae 8,568 o lwybrau cleifion yn aros dros 2 flynedd i ddechrau triniaeth ym Mwrdd Iechyd Betsi - mae hynny 3,600% yn fwy na Lloegr gyfan.
"Mae'r Bwrdd Iechyd wedi dweud wrtha’i eu bod yn difaru’r broses o drosglwyddo cleifion o lwybrau triniaeth mewnoli yn ôl i wasanaethau mewnol y Bwrdd Iechyd oherwydd bu’n llawer mwy cymhleth ac mae wedi cymryd llawer mwy o amser nag a ragwelwyd yn wreiddiol.
"Mae'n wirioneddol dorcalonnus o wybod bod pobl yn aros ac yn ysu am eu canlyniadau ac yn cael gwybod gan y Bwrdd Iechyd na allant gael mynediad at eu canlyniadau oherwydd eu bod ar systemau clinigau preifat.
"Rwy'n falch bod y Prif Weinidog wedi cydnabod y broblem hon, ond mae angen iddo wneud mwy i'w datrys, a sicrhau cyfiawnder i'r cleifion hynny y mae eu llwybr triniaeth wedi dod i stop yn llythrennol. Dydw i ddim gweld unrhyw welliannau eto felly rwy'n annog Llywodraeth Cymru i fynd i'r afael â hyn ar unwaith."
DIWEDD
