North Wales patient transfer service scrapped at night

A service for transporting critical and badly-injured patients in north Wales has stopped running at night.

The adult critical care transfer service (ACCTS) takes people who need specialist treatment to hospitals outside the region.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said local NHS managers told him it had stopped running out of hours.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board confirms that service ended in October.

BBC Wales was told that mitigation measures were in place and further work was being done to find a solution.

Staffing issues have been blamed for why the service was cut back.

Betsi Cadwaladr is not responsible for the service, which is funded by another part of the Welsh health service.

In the Senedd on Tuesday Mr ap Iorwerth said he had received confirmation from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board that the service had been reduced.

The Plaid Cymru leader said the service transfers patients from Ysbyty Gwynedd to Liverpool or Stoke "perhaps after serious trauma, in an accident or if they require other specialist care".

"Medical emergencies don't discriminate based on time of day," Mr ap Iorwerth said.

"Quite simply we need this 24 hours a day."

The service was launched in October 2021 - a news release from the health board said it would enable "timely transfers of critically ill or injured patients who are already in hospitals across the region".

Before the service was introduced an ambulance would need to be used and a doctor or nurse would have to accompany the patient.

It comes as Wales Air Ambulance separately looks at shutting two bases in Powys and Caernarfon.

On Tuesday First Minister Mark Drakeford told the Senedd debating chamber the air ambulance service, which is an independent charity, is proposing for the service to reach more people.

"Two to three people every single day, who currently don't receive the service, could receive the service under the new arrangements," he said.