Miles steps in as 'health board fails to improve'

THE Welsh Government has escalated intervention at Aneurin Bevan health board to one step short of special measures amid concerns about an £18m deficit and A&E failures.

- CHRIS HAINES ICNN Senedd reporter

Jeremy Miles

Health secretary Jeremy Miles announced the Gwent health board will move to level four for finance and emergency care on the government's five-point scale.

In an update on escalation at each NHS organisation in Wales, Mr Miles warned the health board's financial position has "deteriorated rapidly" over the past year.

"It is forecasting an £18.3m deficit by the end of March. This is not acceptable," he said, announcing he will revoke approval of the health board's three-year plan.

Mr Miles said the health board had been at level three due to concerns about emergency care at the new Grange hospital in Cwmbran but will move to level four.

He told the Senedd: "The health board has failed to deliver the required improvements... This will result in direct intervention by the Welsh Government... to improve the timeliness and quality of urgent and emergency care for people living in the Gwent region."