A third of bosses leave NHS health board given 'final chance'

North Wales' under-fire NHS health board has lost a third of its executive directors, according to details released before its latest board meeting.

It is a further blow to the beleaguered Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) which was given a "final chance" to improve by the health minister in June.

A report to board members also stated "patient safety remains challenged", with 13 preventable incidents known as "never events" in a 12-month period.

BCUHB said "arrangements are in place to ensure leadership continuity" and its "focus remains firmly on ensuring delivering safe, effective and compassionate care, improving performance and supporting our ongoing improvement priorities".

An independent panel is currently reviewing patient safety, leadership and culture at the health board, which has been in special measures since February 2023, and under "heightened escalation" for most of its existence.

The review is due to be completed by the end of next month.

In the bundle of papers published before Thursday's board meeting, it was noted the director of nursing and midwifery was retiring from the organisation.

The chief operating officer, appointed in March last year, is reported to have "recently left the organisation" while the executive director of finance and director of environment and estates have "secured new roles outside the health board".

Health Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor said the departures "exemplified the problems we have in Betsi Cadwaladr health board - the deep and entrenched problems that have been there for a long time".

"We need to see improvement soon," he told Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement.

He said he expected improvements "by the end of September" and that the report of the independent review, due by the end of October, would help decide "what the next steps need to be".

BCUHB chief executive Carol Shillabeer issued assurance to board members in the meeting paperwork that "robust plans are in place to maintain clear accountability, organisational resilience and executive oversight throughout this period of change".

An executive summary of one report acknowledged "the health board continues to face significant quality and safety pressures across a number of high-risk areas".

The report highlights 13 so-called "never-events" between August 2025 to July 2026.

According to the Welsh government, such events are "preventable serious incidents that could or actually cause harm to patients or their safety".

The health board has the highest rate of "never events" of all health boards in Wales per 100,000 population.

Cases noted over a 12-month period include five instances of foreign objects being retained post-procedure, four instances of "wrong site surgery" and two instances of "wrong implant/prosthesis".

Documents note that "while never events remain rare in relation to overall procedure volumes, their preventable nature requires strengthened compliance, assurance and organisational learning".

The executive summary for quality, safety and patient experience said: "There remains a continued focus on strengthening procedural safety and the consistent application of safety standards.

"Investigation and learning from incidents continues alongside strengthened executive oversight and a health board-wide programme to consolidate Local Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures (LocSSIPs), strengthen audit arrangements and provide greater assurance across invasive procedures."