{"id":533537,"date":"2025-10-28T15:43:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T15:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/533537\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T15:43:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T15:43:23","slug":"people-afraid-of-attending-hospital-in-north-wales-says-consultant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/533537\/","title":{"rendered":"People &#8216;afraid of attending hospital&#8217; in North Wales says consultant"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Retired surgeon Jonathan Osborne partly blames Welsh Government for the region&#8217;s NHS crisis<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1761666202_120_1_Glan-Clwyd-Hospital-Bodelwyddan-Pictured-General-view-of-the-main-entrance.jpg\" alt=\"The car park opposite the main entrance to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd\" loading=\"eager\"  \/>The car park opposite the main entrance to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd(Image: Ian Cooper\/North Wales Live)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">A hospital consultant heading a group of retired doctors and nurses has slammed minsters for a <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailypost.co.uk\/news\/north-wales-news\/people-dying-needlessly-completely-overwhelmed-32627932\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"beds crisisLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">beds crisis<\/a> in North Wales. Jonathan Osborne, a former ear, nose, and throat surgeon at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, claimed the Welsh Government is partly to blame for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board being stuck in special measures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">In recent weeks, Mr Osborne has repeatedly taken aim at the health board, criticising long A&amp;E waiting times and the treatment of <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailypost.co.uk\/all-about\/nhs\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">NHS<\/a> staff. As head of a <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailypost.co.uk\/news\/north-wales-news\/harassed-frontline-north-wales-hospital-32722476\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Facebook-based campaign groupLink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook-based campaign group<\/a>, he believes the first step to tackling the problem is reinstating more community hospital beds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">But whilst Mr Osborne has been highly critical of Betsi Cadwaladr, he has also weighed in on the Welsh Government. \u201cNorth Wales is full of nightmare stories about health care,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Whether it\u2019s a 24-hour wait to be admitted from an accident and emergency department or a two-year wait for surgery, everyone knows someone who has been affected.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">\u201cMany people, especially the elderly, are afraid of attending hospital, particularly the A&amp;E department, for fear of deteriorating further whilst sitting upright in a hard chair when they feel ill. The most recent figures for Betsi Cadwalader still show it is the worst-performing health board in Wales, and the trend continues to spiral downwards.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">\u201cThe chairman of Betsi recently highlighted this at a public meeting of the board. He admitted that the board was letting the people of North Wales down and called for leadership.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">&#8220;So what is going on when a health board that has been in Welsh Government special measures for such a long time sees all aspects of its service worsen? When the health minister (Jeremy Miles MS) is asked, he merely says in so many words that he has provided the money, so it is the health board\u2019s problem.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">&#8220;So much for the value of the so called \u201cspecial measures\u201d from Welsh Government. (These) just seem to pass the buck back to a failing health board rather than provide a well-devised rescue package and the leadership, support, and advice that should be expected of our devolved government.\u201d<strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"> <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailypost.co.uk\/newsletter-preference-centre\/?view=Solus&amp;mailingListId=da31e0f9-0bf2-4091-bc59-f8c65b1f2341&amp;utm_source=solusarticle\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter<\/a> sent twice daily to your inbox<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1_DPW_RER_221025jonosborneJPG.jpg\" alt=\"Retired consultant Jonathan Osborne FRCS, a former ear, nose and throat surgeon at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd\" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Retired consultant Jonathan Osborne FRCS, a former ear, nose and throat surgeon at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">A Welsh Government spokesman said: &#8220;<a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailypost.co.uk\/all-about\/betsi-cadwaladr-university-health-board\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board<\/a> remains at the highest level of escalation \u2013 level 5 or special measures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">&#8220;While it has put in some important building blocks to become a sustainable NHS organisation, significant improvements are needed to improve planned and emergency care services.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">\u201cWe continue to provide support and challenge to the health board as it works to improve services for people living in North Wales.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">On behalf of the health board, chairman Dyfed Edwards said both he and the chief executive had met with the campaign group.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">Mr Edwards said the group\u2019s concerns had been discussed in detail. He added: \u201cWe value the opportunity to engage constructively and to listen to the views of others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\">You can visit the BEDS <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailypost.co.uk\/all-about\/facebook\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a> page and sign the petition <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AdminBEDS\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"northwales\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Public notices in your area<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Retired surgeon Jonathan Osborne partly blames Welsh Government for the region&#8217;s NHS crisisThe car park opposite the main&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":533538,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4316],"tags":[172639,105,4348,211,16,15,14794,172640],"class_list":{"0":"post-533537","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-betsi-cadwaladr-university-health-board","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-healthcare","11":"tag-nhs","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-welsh-government","15":"tag-ysbyty-glan-clwyd"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115452563240891390","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=533537"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533537\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/533538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=533537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=533537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=533537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}