North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has this afternoon called on the Welsh Government to “ensure transparency on mental health units in North Wales and to show that it is not complicit in a cover up”.
Speaking in this afternoon’s Senedd short debate ‘Hands up on Holden - Time for transparency on mental health services in North Wales’, Mr Isherwood highlighted failings in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s mental health services to date and said problems are still ongoing.
He said:
“Four years after I first raised evidenced concerns with the Welsh Government, the 2013 Holden Report, commissioned after patient deaths and complaints by 42 staff, warned the Hergest psychiatric unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd was ‘in serious trouble’. I understand that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board asked staff criticised in Holden for putting lives at risk to write the paper to the Board. After the Health Board refused to disclose the full report, the Information Commissioners Office ruled that the Health Board should ‘disclose a full copy with only the names of individuals subject to the grievances redacted’.
“However, The North Wales Adult Safeguarding Board say that they can’t take any action because of an ‘absence of specific details and information’.
“We must not allow this to be dismissed as ancient history. Two patients in North Wales mental health units have died from hanging and attempted hanging over the last year. Families identify a categoric failure of the regulatory framework by all Statutory bodies to react to Holden. The onus is now on the Welsh Government to ensure transparency and to show that it is not complicit in a cover up.”
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Isherwood said: “This is the backdrop to the separate inquiry into the Tawel Fan mental health ward at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, which led to the Board being put into special measures by the Welsh Government”.