Welsh Conservatives have welcomed a move by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to go back to the drawing board on plans to downgrade maternity services at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.
Ahead of what would have been a second hearing to consider the BMA’s application for a judicial review into the plans, NHS bosses in north Wales have now agreed to undertake a consultation.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, Darren Millar AM, said:
“I’m glad that NHS chiefs have finally caved in, but it shouldn’t have taken the threat of judicial review for the Health Board to do the right thing.
“NHS bosses have prolonged uncertainty unnecessarily by initially refusing to consult on their plans to downgrade services.
“If they’d made the right decision in the first place, then tremendous recent heartache for staff, mothers to be and their families could have been avoided.
“This entire process has been a needless waste of time, resources and taxpayers’ money from a health board that is already creaking under huge pressure and scandal.
“I urge as many people as possible to have their say in this upcoming consultation.”