Issue - meetings

Questions to ask the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

To accept the information received from the Health Board and their responses to members’ questions that will be summarised in the Committee’s minutes.

Representatives of the Health Board  were welcomed to the meeting. The questions that had been asked in advance were asked to the Health Board in the order in which they appeared on the Committee's Agenda, giving Health Board representatives the opportunity to respond and the Members to ask further questions.

Vision

Thanks were given for the warm welcome and it was stated that it was a pleasure to visit the Council to answer questions. It was explained that the 'Well North Wales' scheme had been running for some time but was something that the Health Board was reconsidering. It was explained that it was work that had been taking place with the third sector, with partners in the county councils across north Wales, and in Gwynedd it provided an opportunity to focus on well-being. It was elaborated that the intention was to try to help the people in disadvantaged areas in particular and to address the major problems that could make a difference in the background.

It was acknowledged that problems had arisen with staffing levels in community hospitals across Gwynedd. The Health Board's vision for the future, it was explained, was to establish more minor injuries units to prevent people from going to the larger hospitals for treatment. It was further clarified that the aim was also to set up treatment rooms in the community hospitals to prevent people from having to travel far to get intravenous drugs. It was reported that the 'Tuag Adref' service had had a positive start. It was noted that patients were able to remain in their homes with a little support from the Health Board and community nurses to avoid overcrowding in the hospitals.

The idea of having more community hospitals capable of providing more services to patients was welcomed, but as a consequence, concern was expressed about some services, such as the vascular service, being centralised. It was explained that there was vascular specialisation previously at Ysbyty Gwynedd, but the service was now centralised at Glan Clwyd Hospital. In response it was explained that the vascular service hub was based at Glan Clwyd Hospital and that some other services were at Ysbyty Gwynedd and Maelor Hospital. It was also noted that this was a wider problem as it was not possible to maintain specialist services everywhere in north Wales due to a lack of numbers.

Doctors and other daily services (which are non-emergency services)

It was reported that most of the Health Board's work was done in primary care. Statistics were submitted showing that, over a six-month period, there were half a million primary care appointments in north west Wales. It was recognised that there were problems with recruiting doctors which put a strain on the system but it was hoped that the opening of a medical school in Bangor would help this in the future.

In terms of access to primary care, it was noted that they worked in multidisciplinary teams, with prescribing pharmacists, therapists, nurses and paramedics all working together.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7