Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board Faces Investigation Over Data Accuracy

A formal investigation has been initiated into the waiting time data from Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board. Jeremy Miles, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, announced the inquiry following the delay in publishing NHS Wales performance statistics last week. This investigation arises from concerns regarding discrepancies in the reported waiting list size and inconsistencies with operational activity levels.

The health board acknowledged the situation, stating it is actively working to resolve the issue. Officials emphasized that the data failure has “not impacted the delivery of care.” This scrutiny comes in light of ongoing challenges faced by the health board, which was placed under special measures for the second time by the Welsh Government in February 2023. Previously, the board had spent five years under special measures from 2015 to 2020.

Jeremy Miles elaborated on the investigation, stating, “Following discussions with the Chief Statistician, the publication of referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is being suspended, pending the outcome of an external investigation into the quality and governance of its data.” This action reflects concerns about the accuracy of RTT data submitted by the health board in recent months.

The investigation will focus exclusively on data related to planned care, excluding metrics concerning cancer, diagnostics, therapies, or urgent and emergency care, as no inconsistencies have been identified in these areas thus far. Miles clarified, “This review is about the quality and management of data, not about the quality of patient care nor about how long people are waiting for care in North Wales.”

To ensure public confidence in official statistics, a comprehensive review will be conducted by experts from Digital Health and Care Wales, NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, the Chief Statistician’s team in the Welsh Government, and a peer expert from another Welsh health board. The initiative aims to restore trust and accurate reporting promptly, with hopes of resuming the publication of official statistics by the next scheduled statistical release.

The chief executive of the health board, Carol Shillabeer, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “We recognize the seriousness of the issue we are currently facing with our referral-to-treatment waiting-time data, and we have been working at pace to update and resubmit it.” She reassured the public, saying, “It is important to emphasize that this issue has not affected patients receiving their appointments.”

Political reactions to the investigation have been swift. Mabon ap Gwynfor, spokesperson for health and social care for Plaid Cymru, criticized the Labour-led government’s handling of the situation. He stated, “This is incredibly damning and tells us everything we need to know about Labour’s failure to bring order to Betsi Cadwaladr.” He called for an investigation into the root causes of the issues, emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in health data management.

Similarly, Darren Millar, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs at the health board. He remarked, “The situation in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is totally unacceptable. We need urgent action and an independent inquiry to restore public confidence and turn things around.” Millar pointed out that despite being under special measures, performance has deteriorated compared to ten years ago, raising concerns about the effectiveness of governmental interventions.

As the investigation unfolds, the focus remains on ensuring that accurate and reliable data is available to the public, reaffirming the commitment to quality healthcare for residents in North Wales. The outcome of this inquiry could significantly impact future governance and operational standards within the health board, highlighting the importance of transparency and accountability in public health management.