NHS: Ex-health board member wants vascular unit to shut

The health board centralised vascular services to a new unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital in 2019

A former health board member who quit over concerns about vascular care has said the unit should be shut down.

Bethan Russell-Williams, who resigned from Betsi Cadwaladr health board three years ago, said it should be closed "in the interests of patient safety".

It comes after it was announced complex vascular patients would be sent to Liverpool while two "concerning" incidents were investigated.

The health board has refused to explain the nature of the incidents.

In a controversial move, complex vascular services were centralised from Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor and Wrexham Maelor Hospital, to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Denbighshire in April 2019.

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Ms Russell-Williams, who was an independent member of the health board, said this led to the loss of "highly-skilled surgeons" and increased rates of mortality and amputation.

"It's very clear that it's not working as it is," she said. "There needs to be a huge rethink."

She said the "common thread" was the failure of the vascular team at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

Bethan Russell-Williams quit as a health board member in 2019

Her remarks come as the head of the North Wales Community Health Council (CHC) said he believed patients had paid a "very high price" after delays in some services being moved to England.

The incidents in north Wales are being investigated after a damning report into vascular services by the Royal College of Surgeons last month.

The North Wales CHC has called for vascular services to be placed in special measures, along with mental health services - which have also been criticised. 

Chief officer Geoff Ryall-Harvey said: "These patients have paid a very high price as a result of the delay in sending complex vascular patients to Liverpool, as recommended by the CHC weeks ago."

About four additional emergency procedures per week are expected to take place at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Trust, rather than Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

Services at the hospital will also be affected, with about 20 surgeries and 60 outpatients appointments delayed over the next month.

The Welsh government had responded to the move by saying: "The health minister has been clear that the health board needs to address these service issues with immediate effect.

"It is encouraging support is being offered by the Liverpool vascular network and this comes in response to the recommendations made by the Royal College of Surgeons."