A FORMER NHS boss has said he expects ‘major changes’ in the leadership of Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board as calls are made for the Health Minister to stand down.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was placed back into special measures last week after a damning report found that the board’s leadership was ‘dysfunctional’.

After a week of deepening crisis within the north Wales board, and a catalogue of health failings, Plaid Cymru health spokesperson, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has said that the Health Minister Eluned Morgan now has “no authority” and that it’s up to the First Minister to bring in new leadership.

Mr ap Iorwerth said whilst the placing of the board back in special measures this week was broadly welcomed – and in fact it should never have been brought out of special measures in 2020 – Eluned Morgan’s decision to humiliate and effectively sack the Independent members of the board has been widely criticised, with many claiming they were the wrong target.

The board members said they had “no confidence in the Welsh Government’s grasp of the situation”. Ms Morgan later said it “wasn’t her job to have a grasp” of the situation.

Mr ap Iorwerth said: “The people of Wales have lost faith in the Health Minister. Time and again, she’s evaded scrutiny and shifted blame onto others when challenged with the disastrous outcomes of her own policies.

“This is particularly true in the north. The patients and staff of Betsi Cadwaladr deserve better from their government. The least they deserve is an apology, but what we all need is the government to step up and take responsibility for this mess. In a democracy, the authority to govern flows from the people.

“It’s clear Eluned Morgan no longer has that authority. If she’s not willing to take responsibility now, the First Minister should do the right thing on behalf of the people of Wales, and remove his Health Minister.”

Responding to the calls for Ms Morgan to be sacked, Welsh Labour said: “This is pretty desperate stuff from Plaid Cymru. The health minister is doing an excellent job.”

Elsewhere, Professor Marcus Longley has said he believes fresh faces at the top of the health board will give it a chance to reset.

Prof Longley said on BBC Politics Wales that he expected further changes and “would be surprised if there weren’t some pretty major changes of personnel, at least”.

He added: “Now, it’s absolutely critical that those new 20-odd people around the board table establish functional working relationships.

“If the new set of people start falling out and behaving as some of the others have then we’re going to be back where we are now again.

“So here is an opportunity at least to reset and get it right this time round.”

Speaking following the decision to place to board back into special measures, Gill Harris, interim chief executive at Betsi Cadwaladr, said it was ‘extremely disappointing’ that the health board was back in special measures, adding: “I acknowledge that more needs to be done at a greater pace to regain the confidence of our staff and our communities. The dedication and effort of our 19,000 staff has been recognised and this decision will help us to ensure our communities get the services they expect and deserve.”