Health board to stay in special measures amid major concerns

THE North Wales health board will stay in special measures amid concerns over A&E performance, cancer waiting times and finances.

- By OWEN HUGHES

Too many people are waiting too long for care, including cancer services, in North Wales

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was put back in special measures in February 2023 - after previously being under targeted intervention from 2015 and 2020.

Each year Welsh Government publishes an annual report to measure the progress made - and the ongoing issues.

The latest review has now been released.

It shows that while there has been positive steps forward in some areas there are still critical concerns in key services.

Jeremy Miles, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said: “Serious concerns remain, especially in relation to operational performance and timely access to safe and quality planned care and urgent and emergency care”

Emergency care

In January 2026, the health board reported further deterioration in performance against the four-hour emergency department waiting time target, recording the health board’s lowest ever performance. The organisation also continues to report the highest number of 12-hour emergency department breaches in Wales.

PLANNED CHANGES: A major change programme for urgent and emergency care is in place; a rapid review of emergency departments was undertaken in January 2026 and the adoption of urgent and emergency care operational principles have clarified triggers for escalation, patient flow controls and measurement of safety in emergency care pathways.

INTERVENTIONS INCLUDE:

Implementation of the North Wales Community Falls Response Service, to ensure equity of outcomes across the region

Integration of minor injuries units, urgent treatment centres and urgent primary care centres into the same day urgent care model in the community to support more people to access care and treatment closer to home and reduce demand on the three emergency departments