Wrexham to Retain Maternity Services Following Betsi Cadwaladr U-Turn

Plans to downgrade maternity services across north Wales appear to have been shelved, with a report published this evening recommending services across the region will remain open.

Back in August Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board launched a six week consultation urging members of the public to give their views on temporary changes to women’s and maternity services.

Four options were put forward in the consultation, including:

• Services stay as now and we continue to manage current risks and issues with medical staffing and team working
• Temporary change to maternity services at Wrexham Maelor Hospital
• Temporary change to maternity services at Ysbyty Gwynedd
• Temporary change to maternity services at Glan Clwyd Hospital

Initially it was noted that the health board’s preferred arrangement is to provisionally suspend consultant-led maternity services at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd – however in a document due to go before Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board next week it is recommended that no temporary changes are implemented to maternity services in north Wales hospitals.

In a statement released this evening Deputy Minister for Health Vaughan Gething said: “We took clear and decisive action, on the advice of independent experts, to place the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in special measures. Following our intervention we are seeing real progress being made.

“One of the reasons for putting the health board into special measures was the need for the board to show tangible improvement in reconnecting with the public and become a listening organisation. The papers being published today are the result of a detailed, open and transparent consultation process with the people of north Wales and NHS staff. This is exactly the kind of progress we want to see.

“It is important to give people certainty on the temporary options. The recommendation for the health board shows that the current position is more stable than a number of months ago. While no final decision has been made, it is now for the board to consider and properly discuss the recommendations carefully when it agrees its response in its public board next week.

“Looking towards the future of maternity and paediatric services in north Wales, we remain committed to the SuRNICC and recently announced £1.4m of funding to develop the plans and a recruitment process is underway.

“We will continue to provide extra support under the special measures arrangements to help turn around the health board and regain the confidence of the people it serves.”

Today’s decision follows months of uncertainty surrounding maternity services across the region.

Since the initial announcement proposing changes to maternity services in north Wales, there has been a strong campaign both locally and across the region; with thousands taking part in protests in Rhyl and an 11,000 strong petition handed into the health board during the consultation.

Welcoming a report recommending that all three maternity units in north Wales remain open, Aled Roberts AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, said: “Thankfully, pressure from the public and politicians has ensured that Betsi has stopped short of taking a very unpopular decision. I now hope it will be rubber stamped by the Board at their next meeting.

“Years of uncertainty has led to huge staff shortages at all three units, leading to them closing units 16 times during the last 12 months. Betsi now need to urgently recruit more staff to these units to ensure mums and babies are cared for safely.

“The people of north Wales will want to know whether Betsi have now changed tack, and are planning to staff all three units in the long term instead of reviewing the position after opening the SUNRICC.”

Wrexham’s Conservative Candidate for the Welsh Assembly Elections, Andrew Atkinson said: “This is fantastic news for Wrexham and North Wales and exactly what we campaigned so hard for.

“I’m delighted that Betsi will not be downgrading Maternity Services at the Maelor or the other North Wales Hospitals.

“I really want to thank everyone who got behind the campaign. Nearly 7000 people liked the Facebook page and went on to sign the petition. Over 11,000 signed the petition and hundreds signed our letters to Betsi.

“Local media did a phenomenal job of getting the message out there and the people of Wrexham spoke loud and clear. Thank you to everyone that gave up their time and spent hours in the streets with me, it’s a great result.”

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru AM for North Wales, said: “This is great news and Plaid Cymru has been campaigning hard for the retention of all three since the health board made its shock announcement earlier this year.

“It’s a great victory for all those campaigners and staff who have marched, petitioned and made their voices heard – for once, someone was listening. Plaid Cymru is committed to keeping all three maternity units open in the North – is this Labour government willing to make the same long-term commitment?”

Simon Baynes, the Prospective Welsh Conservative Assembly member for Clwyd South, added: “A very big thank you to everyone who signed our petition to save consultant-led maternity services at Wrexham Maelor Hospital – your voices have been heard!

“We are delighted as well that there will be no downgrade of maternity services elsewhere in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.

“Our campaign, led by Andrew Atkinson, shows that protection of the NHS is the number one priority for people in Clwyd South and elsewhere in Wales.”