DOCTORS at Wrexham Maelor Hospital have been described as "some of the unhappiest ever seen" in a damning report.

A report from The Royal College of Physicians (RCP), leaked to ITV Wales, has described the hospital as the "perfect storm of a collapsing estate".

It came after a visit to the hospital by Dr Andrew Goddard, RCP President, who said investment from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and the Welsh Government was "desperately needed".

He said: "Our virtual visit to Wrexham in May 2021 introduced me to the unhappiest group of consultants I've ever spoken to in my career, bar one.

"We heard about a perfect storm of a collapsing estate, ineffectual or non-existent IT, and staff shortages."

A consultant physician said their medical rotas are "teetering on a knife-edge", and that "we're two resignations away from a collapse".

"If we get suddenly busy on a Friday evening, they'll panic and open an area of the hospital without enough doctors," a staff member said.

"It isn't safe, but it happens again and again. It's so reactionary."

The report said a historical lack of investment in the estate, facilities, IT and the workforce is "ultimately affecting recruitment".

It said: "People will simply choose to work at more modern hospitals, where they feel heard and valued. Whether this investment comes from the health board or from Welsh Government. It is desperately needed."

The report found that doctors at Wrexham consider their workload to be excessive, and this is having a negative effect on patient safety and flow, as well as workforce wellbeing.

"Their relationship with managers and executives at a health board level has almost entirely broken down", it said.

"However, it was reassuring to hear that recent staff management changes at a site level were beginning to repair some of the damage locally.

"Nevertheless, the unhappiness of these consultant physicians, combined with a historic underinvestment in facilities, estate and IT at Ysbyty Wrexham Maelor, will result in serious damage to the reputation of the hospital and its ability to recruit and retain doctors if the executive does not take immediate action to repair this relationship."

Dr Nick Lyons, executive medical director at BCUHB, said: “The issues raised in this report are concerning to me as the health board’s new medical director and I take them very seriously.

"Covid-19 has affected everyone working in the health service, and we need to ensure that colleagues are supported to do their jobs to the best of their ability. I really do recognise the stress, pressure and workload our clinicians are grappling with.

“Working with our clinical teams, we can make real progress in addressing the concerns they have raised. We have a good foundation on which to build, as identified in the report, including the good teaching experience of junior doctors and some of the innovation that has taken place during the pandemic.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "We recognise the huge pressures NHS staff have been under for a sustained period of time and it is vital any concerns over their wellbeing and morale are addressed.

"The health board is working closely with the college advisors and are committed to progressing these actions."