17.06.2026
Message from Carol Shillabeer, Chief Executive, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Following an unannounced inspection by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales in May 2026, the Emergency Department at Glan Clwyd Hospital will be designated as Service Requiring Significant Improvement. The decision reflects serious concerns and we fully accept the findings.
The issues relate to leadership and culture, patient safety, overcrowding and the safety and experience of patients waiting for care. We are sorry that, in some areas, the standard of care has not been where it needs to be for our patients.
We know this will be concerning for the people we serve and for our staff, who are working under sustained pressure, and we want to reassure them that immediate action is underway.
We have a clear understanding of the issues identified and a strengthened improvement plan is already being implemented with pace and strong oversight. This includes reducing overcrowding, strengthening patient safety, improving leadership and oversight within the department, and ensuring patients receive safe care from the point they arrive, including while they are waiting to be seen.
Next week, the Board will also consider plans to strengthen staffing in our Emergency Departments across North Wales. This represents another key step in delivering safe, timely and sustainable improvements in urgent and emergency care, complementing ongoing joint efforts with partners to address the structural issues of constrained patient flow and capacity, which are often the root cause of long waiting times, delayed ambulance handovers, and overcrowding within our Emergency Departments.
These challenges cannot be addressed by the Health Board alone and we remain hugely grateful to our colleagues in local authorities and partner organisation for working with us to deliver the required improvements.
We welcome the scrutiny from HIW and will continue to report openly on the progress we make. Our focus is on delivering safe, timely and high-quality care for the people of North Wales.
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales website.