The Welsh Conservatives have called for urgent action and an independent inquiry to restore public confidence and turn around performance at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

The calls follow a statement by the Welsh Government announcing the suspension of the publication of referral to treatment waiting times data for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board due to concerns about data quality. The announcement follows hot on the heels of the appointment of a 'team of experts' last week to help turn around the beleaguered Health Board, which has been in special measures and Welsh Government intervention for over a decade.

NHS waiting time figures were due to be published last week and Welsh Conservative Leader Darren Millar MS called for an urgent statement in the Senedd on Tuesday.

Commenting, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS, Darren Millar, said:

“The situation in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is totally unacceptable. We need urgent action and an independent inquiry to restore public confidence and turn things around. 

"Just last week we learned that a 'team of experts' was being appointed because senior leaders are failing to turn things around, and today we find that there are serious questions over the quality of waiting time data.

"Special measures is supposed to improve things, yet performance is worse now than it was 10 years ago when they were first instigated.

"The people of North Wales have been let down for far too long  have a right to know how the health board compares to elsewhere in the country, and why we have to wait so much longer than elsewhere for the treatment we need.

"We have zero confidence in the Welsh Labour Government being able to fix things. It is time the Cabinet Secretary admitted this.

"There has been one scandal after another with regards the NHS in North Wales. It is time for honesty and transparency to prevent yet more unnecessary deaths, and more patients coming to harm."