The Chairman of Llais, the body responsible for representing patient voices, Professor Medwin Hughes, has stated that the current model of healthcare in the region is not working.
Janet Finch-Saunders, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has raised deep concerns about the functioning of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, especially the continued practice of corridor care.
Commenting, Janet said:
“In the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area, we are seeing 89,000 patients being treated in corridors or other non-clinical environments. Some are facing waits of up to 10 hours, and constituents have informed me of occasions where the health board has lost track of their treatment.
“This is in addition to the 40,000 patients who have died on a waiting list since May 2021; 8,503 of these deaths took place in the Health Board. All of this highlights the serious issues that need to be urgently addressed.
“As I am hearing from constituents, due to the long waiting times many of them are dreading going to A&E, with one in particular refusing to go despite being in pain because of previous experiences waiting in a chair for hours. Other constituents frequently approach me as they are concerned about delays to treatments and appointments, with some waiting for potentially life-threatening conditions such as cancer, or other issues such as skin conditions that impact their daily lives.
“This cannot be allowed to continue, and urgent action needs to be taken. This is why the Welsh Conservatives would immediately declare a health emergency, as we need to acknowledge the extent of the challenges in order to correct them.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
