Betsi Cadwaladr: Police considering north Wales NHS investigation

Police are considering whether to investigate claims made in a leaked report about finances at north Wales' health board.

It comes as Conservative MPs in the region called for a fresh criminal probe, after an earlier investigation was dropped earlier this year.

The report, by accountancy EY, alleged finance officials made deliberately wrong entries in accounts.

North Wales Police said the force would "make an assessment".

The health board was asked for comment.

Accountancy firm EY said Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which serves north Wales, wrongly accounted for millions of pounds.

NHS Counter Fraud Wales, which is part of a NHS Wales organisation, concluded in April that no further action was needed.

Last week BBC Wales reported that EY found "systematic cultural failings" in the organisation's finance team.

Det Chief Supt Gareth Evans said: 'We are aware of media reports regarding financial matters at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and have also had concerns raised with us by individuals.

"We are liaising with colleagues in other agencies regarding enquiries already undertaken in order to make an assessment and will issue an update in due course."

Earlier the group of nine north Wales Conservative MPs called for police to look at the matter again.

David Jones, Conservative MP for Clwyd West, said people in north Wales would be "hugely concerned" by the report "that appears to have been supressed".

EY's forensic accountants said the health board recorded transactions in its 2021-22 accounts that related to work which contractors had not yet done, or medical equipment which did not arrive until months afterwards.

It alleged EY's work was "hindered" by the alteration of a document and the deletion of a recording of a meeting.

EY's report has not been officially published but has been publicly discussed in the Senedd twice in recent weeks.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has previously told the Senedd that the report could not be published as it would "inevitably… lead to identification of individuals, who… are now potentially subject to disciplinary procedures".

The report's authors stressed they saw "no evidence of direct personal gain as a result of these mis-statements". An internal review of what happened at the health board is continuing.

The report emerged months after 11 independent board members were forced to resign by the Welsh government.

Some of the former independent members have previously expressed concern that the fraud probe, conducted by NHS Counter Fraud Wales, was dropped.

A committee was told earlier this year that the independent members had brought EY in to conduct the review of Betsi Cadwaladr's finances.

Independent members of the board are separate to the executive directors, who are responsible for the organisation's day-to-day operation.

Mr Jones, speaking on behalf of the region's six Conservative MPs, accused the Welsh government of turning the independent members into apparent scapegoats "who commissioned the report by EY... but were effectively dismissed by the Welsh Health Minister Eluned Morgan for their trouble.

"The Welsh government's First Minister, Mark Drakeford, should offer them a full and immediate apology. It was no way to treat decent people who displayed a strong public-spirited ethos."

Last week the health board said: "The management of the issues raised in the EY report is progressing in line with existing procedures and policies.

"This follows the conclusion of the NHS Counter Fraud Wales investigation connected to the auditor general's qualified opinion of the health board's 2021-22 financial accounts.

"It is inappropriate to comment on the status of any employees at this stage."

Prior to the statement from North Wales Police, a Welsh government spokesman said: "Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is progressing the management of the issues raised in the Ernst & Young report in line with their existing procedures and policies.

"This follows the conclusion of the NHS Counter Fraud Wales investigation connected to the auditor general's qualified opinion of the health board's 2021-22 financial accounts.

"We do not comment on leaked documents, particularly when, as in this case, internal procedures are still proceeding at the health board."