Flintshire councillors slam Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board Wrexham Maelor's A&E department has improved

The North Wales Health Board issued a letter to Flintshire Council CEO Colin Everett where it claimed "significant improvement" has been made at the hospital's emergency hospital.

However, members of Flintshire Council denounced the letter at its monthly meeting at County Hall in Mold.

The Leader has reported on numerous occasions the concerns of people who have attended Wrexham Maelor's A&E department.

They include grave concerns over waiting times at the department and lack of basic care provisions.

This came to a head when Buckley county councillor Carol Ellis claimed she witnessed "horrors" at the hospital when she visited its A&E in September.

She claims people were left on trolleys - without pillows or blankets - for several hours, and has led to a motion being put forward to all councillors in Flintshire asking them to support calls for the government to step in amid growing criticism of the region’s health board.

And it was Cllr Ellis who was the first to slam Betsi's response to the concerns.

She said: "Health care there is the worst it's ever been.

"Area wise, Betsi Cadwaladr is the largest health board in the EU - it's too big to manage and our residents are suffering as a result.

"Many of us campaigned in 2008 against Betsi Cadwaladr being formed - we shouted from the roof tops about the closure of our community hospitals.

"We said it will result in queues at the door in the A&E - but we never thought it'd be to the extent it is, health care was never like this 10 years ago.

"And what I witnessed at the Maelor's A&E department in September was absolutely appalling.

"There were 80 people waiting to see two doctors - many left on trolleys without pillows or blankets who were critically ill people.

"And the amount of horror stories people have shared with me are endless.

"Welsh Government is letting the people of North Wales and our brilliant health care workers down - we need our own hospital in Flintshire."

Betsi Cadwaladr, which has now been in special measures for five years, said it recognises "that many of our patients experience unacceptable delays in their care", and apologises over reports of a lack of sheets and blankets.

It says it has ordered and received "40 new pillows" following "patient feedback".

Cllr Derek Butler's response to the orders of pillows was to ask if we are living in a third world country - such is the lack of basic care provisions.

Cllr Helen Brown described the claims that the A&E department has improved as "unbelievable".

She said: "It's getting worse day-by-day, we have doctors and nurses at breaking point - working tirelessly and medical staff leaving cause they can't take it anymore.

"It's disgusting - our patients and medical staff deserve better."

The letter, signed by Betsi CEO Gary Doherty, says the health board is trying to recruit five new doctors - two of which have already been appointed.

It also claims that handover delays have improved by 74 percent in the first three quarters of 2019 compared to the same period the year before.

It says ambulance delays have reduced - in contrast to the rest of Wales, and that waiting times in A&E improved between July and December 2019 than the same period the year before.

Cllr Ellis responded: "The ambulance waiting times have decreased because patients have been off-loaded in corridors instead of waiting outside in ambulances.

And the horror stories continued, as Cllr Bernie Attridge spoke about his experience of the A&E department at Wrexham Maelor.

"Just weeks ago I was there, and 12 hours I was sat waiting and was finally put through to majors - which was basically a trolley with no blankets.

"I was then moved six times to different wards within the hospital before being discharged.

"A week later I was back in and the first question the doctor asked me - after another 12 hour wait - was why I was allowed to go home in the first place.

"There was a 93-year-old woman left there on her own, she had no family with her and no one went near her except other patients waiting.

"It was absolutely freezing in there as the central heating system was broke and I went and begged for blankets to cover this woman - who was hurt and crying.

"When I was finally called I begged for this woman to be taken before me - it's absolutely dreadful what's happening."

In comes on the same day a figure was revealed in the Senedd on Tuesday that shows over half of medical incidents in Wales that resulted in death were reported by Betsi Cadwaladr between November 2017 and November 2019.

Cllr Ian Roberts, leader of Flintshire Council, said he and the six other leaders of North Wales' local authorities are to meet with Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething - and that "robust" discussions over the health board will take place.

This will include asking if there's sufficient capacity in Wrexham Maelor, Glan Clwyd and the Countess of Chester hospital, whether Flintshire needs a general hospital, why the performance of A&E is so poor in the Betsi Health Board as oppose to the rest of Wales and what measures can be put in place to urgently improve the performance of A&E by way of GP walk in centres, extended hours at minor injury units, improved access to GPs and improved community services.

Cllr Richard Jones said the issues are not necessarily lack of funding - but poor management, with the Welsh NHS getting an extra five per cent of public sector money.

He said: "They didn't know what to do with the money - so this is isn't about finance, this is about organisation and management.

"So by creating another hospital, we just create another problem with the same issues.

"The chief executive needs to take responsibility as he's the one who chooses what to do with the money."

Cllr Hilary McGuill, a former emergency unit nurse of 20 years, said the situation is worse than it's ever been.

She said Betsi needs to think about putting in a walk-in unit in each of Flintshire's three hospitals, which would be open from 7am until midnight, seven days a week - which would be staffed on an on-call basis.

"Surely this would cost less than the amount of money they're spending at the moment on bank nurses, on agency and on litigation for things that are going wrong."