Hywel Dda and Swansea Bay UHBs under enhanced monitoring for quality and performance

UNDER the Joint Escalation and Intervention Arrangements, Welsh Government officials meet with Audit Wales and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales at least twice a year to discuss the overall position of each health board, NHS trust and Special Health Authority in respect of quality, governance, service performance and financial management.  A wide range of information and intelligence is considered to identify any issues and inform the assessment.

The framework has four escalation levels:

Routine arrangements; Enhanced monitoring; Targeted intervention and 

Special measures.

Providing an update in a written statement, Eluned Morgan MS, Minister for Health and Social Services said in respect of Hywel Dda and Swansea Bay UHBs:

“Following the meeting, the Chief Executive of NHS Wales made the following recommendations to me:

Escalate Hywel Dda UHB to targeted intervention for planning and finance and for them to remain in enhanced monitoring for quality and performance;

De-escalate Swansea Bay UHB to routine arrangements for planning and finance, but for it to remain in enhanced monitoring for quality and performance. 

The Minister went on:

“Hywel Dda UHB has been escalated to targeted intervention from enhanced monitoring for finance and planning because it has been unable to submit a balanced and approvable IMTP or a finalised annual plan and a growing financial deficit is being reported.  On quality and performance, there are concerns around urgent and emergency care, including ambulance handover, cancer and performance against part 1a of the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) measure.

Swansea Bay UHB has been de-escalated to routine arrangements from enhanced monitoring for finance and planning as it has an approved IMTP. The health board will remain in enhanced monitoring for quality and performance as concerns remain around the speed of the restart of planned care, cancer and daily fluctuations in urgent and emergency care.”