Hywel Dda University Health Board needs Welsh Government intervention says AM candidate Adam Price

The former MP said some of the performance levels across Hywel Dda, in a number of different specialities, had declined over the last year.

At the moment, the Board is rated stage two and receiving “enhanced monitoring” on the Joint Escalation and Intervention Arrangements- a four stage scheme from the Welsh Government, Wales Audit Office and Healthcare Inspectorate for Wales.

The fourth stage is special measures.

He said that despite the enhanced monitoring status the board has seen the worst overall referral to treatment performance of all Welsh health boards for the last 10 consecutive months.

He added that of all those who received treatment in November 2015, 3,316 patients or 76 per cent waited less than 26 weeks against targets to see 95 per cent treated within that time, a decline from 82.7 per cent  a year earlier and the fourth year of not meeting the target.

Mr Price stressed that his call was to better support hard-pressed health board staff and any criticism was aimed at decision-makers in government.

“I'm not calling for the health board to be placed in special measures yet. I'm suggesting further action is needed to ensure the health board has an intervention targeted at the areas in which its performance is below par,” he said.

“That intervention must, of course, come with whatever additional resources – financially or otherwise – the health board believes it requires.

"Our health service is too precious and its workforce too important for the Labour Minister to simply wash his hands of the problems.”

Member of Parliament Jonathan Edwards added they would be seeking a meeting with the health board to discuss performance levels and “get a better understanding of what we can do to ensure the Welsh Government is properly investing time, resources and expertise into our local health service."

Hywel Dda University Health Board Chief Executive, Steve Moore, said they were looking to meet with both Mr Price and Mr Edwards and were working closely with the Welsh Government to improve both performance and financial standing.

“Our focus for 2015/16 has been to make sustainable long-term improvements and this has included a refreshed Board and Executive team, renewed governance and accountability, new hospital and community beds and significant improvement in our recruitment of staff,” said Mr Moore.

“This has been supported by the Welsh Government, who seek regular assurance from us, and we expect to see sustainable improvement going forward.

"Providing the best services possible to our communities remains our biggest priority and we have delivery plans in place for our services. We also acknowledge the need to live within our means and we are making progress towards our three year Integrated Medium Term Plan.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to recognise the hard work of our staff in maintaining and delivering high quality, safe services to our local population amidst these challenges.”