NDM9135 - Opposition Debate
Tabled on 28/01/2026 | For debate on 04/02/2026To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that:
a) this month marks three years since Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was returned to special measures: and
b) all other major health boards in Wales are currently in some form of targeted intervention.
2. Regrets that:
a) Betsi Cadwaladr has spent over two‑thirds of its existence in special measures — longer than any other health board in NHS history; and
b) people in the north of Wales continue to face failing standards, excessive waits for treatment and long‑standing organisational dysfunction under the Welsh Labour Government.
3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) strengthen its political leadership to drive up standards and hold the health board to account;
b) implement the recommendations of Plaid Cymru’s report The Welsh Health System: Accountability, Performance and Culture to reform NHS governance;
c) publish the findings of the recent independent investigation into gaps in Betsi Cadwaladr’s waiting list data; and
d) accelerate the establishment of fully-staffed surgical hubs within Betsi Cadwaladr.
Plaid Cymru Report: The Welsh Health System: Accountability, Performance and Culture
Tabled By
Amendments
Delete point 3 and replace with:
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) accept responsibility for the failings at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and apologise for failing to address the shortcomings in healthcare in north Wales;
b) declare a health emergency;
c) surge bed capacity to ensure patient safety and improve access to emergency care;
d) urgently establish surgical hubs to help clear the waiting time backlog;
e) protect and enhance the community hospital network in north Wales, including the delivery of the north Denbighshire community hospital, and more minor injuries units; and
f) initiate an independent inquiry into failings at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to learn lessons, hold people to account for failures, and ensure that significant improvement can be achieved and maintained.
Tabled By
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that:
a) progress has been made in leadership, corporate governance, quality and safety, financial management, and patient and stakeholder engagement since Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was returned to special measures in 2023; and
b) progress is being made by all health boards in escalation.
2. Acknowledges that the Welsh Government will publish the findings of the recent independent investigation into gaps in Betsi Cadwaladr’s waiting list data, and the latest special measures progress report, in March.
3. Supports the health and social care workforce as they continue to work under pressure to meet the needs of patients.
Tabled By
In point 3, delete sub-point (b) and replace with:
undertake a comprehensive review of governance, leadership, and accountability arrangements across all NHS organisations in Wales, with a view to strengthening oversight, improving performance, and ensuring consistent standards of care for patients.
