Hospital vascular services overhaul leaves people 'fearful'

Patients are "fearful" of using vascular health services in north Wales, according to a damning report.

North Wales Community Health Council wrote the report into services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) following a series a public consultations.

It said the public had no confidence in the health board to deliver 'safe or timely' treatment.

BCUHB said it took the concerns raised seriously and was reviewing services.

Vascular services were centralised from Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire - about 30 miles away - in April 2019.

Bethan Russell Williams resigned from her role on the health board in protest over the decision.

Now patients, their families and staff have accused Betsi Cadwaladr of "ruining vascular services" and said patients were "nervous and fearful" of using it.

Issues including travel time, emergency cover for staff and a lack of detailed plans have been raised during a series of public consultations.

The health council has repeated its call for an independent investigation while Sian Gwenllian AM said some of the issues were "unacceptable".

"The report is damming and confirms the stories that one has heard," she added.

"People thought the treatment they got in Bangor would stay in Bangor. We have been cheated.

"We have to have a review that is completely independent from the board."

Ken Jones, secretary of Ysbyty Gwynedd Kidney Patients' Association, said the report was "terrible" but expected.

"They [the health board] moved a world class service away from people at a rural hospital," he added.

"Whenever you centralise, you make people travel miles further, and the main issue is that we could have a fatality."

The health board said it had been working with the council to ensure it "continues to improve" the service and is conducting an internal review of the vascular unit.

"We have met the CHC twice in recent weeks in relation to their survey of patients and plan to continue to meet to ensure that the concerns raised are acknowledged and that appropriate action is taken," said executive director of nursing and midwifery, Gill Harris.

"We have not refused to supply any data requested. We have been asked to compile a complex set of data which we are in the process of gathering."

The Welsh Government said the complaints were a matter for the health board.