Vaughan Gething rules out Betsi reorganisation if he becomes First Minister

Vaughan Gething has ruled out the re-organisation of North Wales’ trouble-hit health board if he becomes First Minister.

The former health minister made his comments as he paid a visit to the region whilst looking to garner support for his bid to succeed Mark Drakeford.

Wrexham.com asked about the state of healthcare in North Wales with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board currently under special measures for the second time in recent year.

The Labour economy minister was asked during his visit what he would do as First Minister to resolve the problems faced by patients in the area, and if there was any extra freedom for his new ideas as FM rather than his previous role as health minister.

In response, Mr Gething dismissed the idea of re-organising the health board, partly due to how much it would cost.

He said: “The big challenge about the future of the health service here in North Wales is that you have to be able to empower the health board, its staff, and its leadership to actually understand how much they need each other.

“I think there’s a good chair and vice chair in place, and the chief executive Carol Shillabeer has a really positive track record of working with people.

“I still think it’s a mistake to think that you can improve healthcare outcomes by reorganising the lines on the map.

“If you reorganise, you have an inward-looking conversation, you have to spend lots of money on it and we don’t have lots of money to spend on reorganisation.

“The focus has to be on outcomes for staff and the job they do, respecting the fact that right across North Wales, people do get really good quality health care every day.

“At the same time, to get even better outcomes for people, you have to understand and accept there’s got to be a process of change and improvement here in North Wales as well.”

We also asked Mr Gething how he would address the – real or perceived depending on your viewpoint and stats – north v south divide in Wales,

He said: “I’m looking at beefing up the Minister for North Wales and about how they are resourced and their impact across the government.

“I’ve had a really constructive conversation with Ken Skates and others about how to do that, and I will have more to say on the detail of that, but there won’t just be a continuation of the Minister for North Wales.

“With me as a First Minister you won’t just see and hear from me as the First Minister for the whole country, including the north, but you will also see the Minister for North Wales with greater purchase and reach within the government.”

Vaughan Gething is up against Jeremy Miles to become the new First Minister of Wales. Voting is due to begin on the 16th February with a new leader announced on 16th March. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​