Following the disclosure by Jo Whitehead, Chief Executive, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, to Janet Finch-Saunders MS, that elective arthroplasty surgery will not recommence at Ysbyty Gwynedd for at least another 3 to 4 months, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy has hit out at the health board for “failing to prioritise some people with highest clinical need for treatment”.
The news that residents requiring elective arthroplasty surgery will have to wait at least another twelve weeks comes despite the health board having announced that it is “Restarting planned care” and that “clinical teams will be looking at who has the greatest clinical need, and prioritising patients based on clinical need as each service restarts”.
In an effort to try and secure treatment for individuals needing knee and hip replacement surgery, the Member has tabled a Written Question to Eluned Morgan MS, Minister for Health and Social Services:
Further to the disclosure that elective arthroplasty surgery will not recommence at Ysbyty Gwynedd for at least another 3 to 4 months, will the Minister liaise with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to see if the delay can be reduced?
Commenting on the delayed recommencement of hip and knee replacement surgery, Janet said:
“I acknowledge that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is having to continuously make difficult decisions to ensure enough staff and facilities are available to care for the sickest patients, especially those needing critical care. However, currently the health board is failing to prioritise some people with highest clinical need for treatment.
“Like so many constituents, I was pleased to read the recent announcement that planned care is restarting, and that clinical teams will be prioritising patients based on clinical need. It seem that this is not the case for elective hip and knee replacement surgery.
“It cannot be right that the Chief Executive is informing me that even a resident acknowledged as a clinical priority will have to wait another three to four months for elective arthroplasty surgery due to the service not being scheduled to recommence at Ysbyty Gwynedd soon.
“The further postponement at Ysbyty Gwynedd must be urgently reviewed by the Welsh Government and a solution found so that residents are not subjected to months more of pain and distress”.
ENDS
- Restarting planned care
- Janet has tabled the following Written Question to the Minister for Health and Social Services, Welsh Government:
- Further to the disclosure that elective arthroplasty surgery will not recommence at Ysbyty Gwynedd for at least another 3 to 4 months, will the Minister liaise with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to see if the delay can be reduced?
