Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS Darren has called on the Welsh Government to address the “crisis situation” in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board by delivering the long-promised hospital beds in North Wales, especially at the Royal Alexandra Hospital site in Rhyl.
Raising the matter in the Welsh Parliament this week with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Darren said he is undated with complaints about the emergency care experience of patients in North Wales and said access to more beds would alleviate these pressures.
Original plans for the development of the Royal Alexandra Hospital, unveiled 12 years ago, included 30 inpatient beds, including 18 inpatient beds for older people with mental health problems.
After revised plans for the Rhyl site were revealed in August, with just 14 beds and fewer services, Darren accused the Welsh Government of letting down the people of North Denbighshire.
After calling on the Cabinet Secretary to make a statement on the performance of emergency departments in North Wales, Darren said:
“According to the Chair of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, emergency care in North Wales is in, and I quote, 'a crisis situation', 'letting people down' and 'people are waiting in ambulances for extreme lengths of time'. The situation is 'desperate', 'dire' and they are 'failing' their citizens.
“I would agree with that analysis. I receive, unfortunately, postbags that are full of complaints about the emergency care experience of patients in North Wales - people waiting up to four days on chairs in their 90s while they are waiting for a bed, people who are on ambulances outside these emergency departments for many hours, sometimes over a day, before they can get admitted into those hospitals. It is unacceptable.
“Now, one of the things that we know that would alleviate these pressures is access to more beds, but, of course, previous Welsh Governments have closed local hospitals in the region over the years, and you don't seem to be able to get your finger out to be able to build new hospitals with extra bed capacity to take pressure off these emergency departments.
“The Royal College of Nursing has said that we need to end corridor care because it's unsafe and undignified. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has said that the problem is about beds.
“When are you going to deliver the beds that you have promised the people of North Wales, especially at the Royal Alexandra Hospital site in Rhyl?”
In his response the Cabinet Secretary agreed that the situation is “unacceptable”.
Speaking afterwards, Darren said:
“I’m pleased the Cabinet Secretary accepts that what my constituents are having to endure when they go to hospital is unacceptable, but he needs to act on his words and deliver the beds needed to improve the situation here in North Wales.
“For 12 years the people of North Denbighshire have been waiting for the delivery of this incredible new hospital in Rhyl which was going to relieve pressures on Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and greatly improve the patient experience. We have now been presented with hugely scaled back plans for the site, with just 14 beds.
“If they are to have a fighting chance of tackling the pressures facing our NHS in North Wales, they need to go back to the drawing board and deliver what was originally promised!”
Watch Darren’s contribution in the Welsh Parliament below:
