A retired hospital consultant has launched a fresh attack on North Wales’ health board, criticising the state of the NHS and the closure of community hospitals and wards, like Tywyn and Blanau Ffestiniog.

Jonathan Osborne FRCS, a former ear, nose, and throat surgeon at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, says Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) needs to consider stopping closing and reopening community hospitals.

In recent weeks the retired consultant has repeatedly aimed criticism at the health board, raising fears about the state of its A&E departments.

Mr Osborne says people are dying needlessly because they are not getting prompt care, with seriously ill people facing long waits in uncomfortable chairs or lying on corridor floors.

Now the consultant, who has started a Facebook campaign, says the answer to North Wales’ health crisis is to stop closing and reopening community hospitals.

“This course to chaos can be changed, and there are solutions open to the health board. One obvious solution is to stop closing community hospital beds and implement a programme to increase their number to provide step-down rehabilitation care,” said Mr Osborne.

“These beds are more cost effective than acute hospital beds and, when supported by local teams of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and social workers, can support patients safely out of expensive acute care in a more timely fashion.”

Mr Osborne added that at any time “350 patients across North Wales are medically fit for discharge but languish on wards” because they need further rehabilitation to manage alone at home.

“The use of community beds would prevent loss of independence and institutionalisation and would free up hospital beds to relieve the backlog of patients waiting in A&E and outside in ambulances,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the health board persists in its program of community bed closure. Over the past 25 years, there have been loss of beds or community hospital closures at Conwy, Denbigh, Ruthin, Prestatyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Llangollen, Flint, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, and recently at Tywyn and Penley.

He then claimed North Wales had “lost 20% of its beds overall” which was “mainly in the community”.

He added: “It is hardly surprising that there is now a shortage of beds for those patients needing admission into hospital.

“Tywyn, a relatively isolated town with an elderly population, is losing its 16 beds at the brand-new Community Hospital that was only built in 2017. Madness! The board argues that it is unable to recruit nurses.”

Mr Osborne compared this to neighbouring Powys, where he said a recruitment drive fully staffed the community hospitals in Machyllneth, Newtown, and Welshpool.

He made similar comparisons to a hospital in Shropshire, who also used a recruitment agency.

He added: “Why has the Betsi effort been so unsuccessful?”

He went on: “Public meetings and a petition signed by over 5,000 people have been disregarded. In our view, the board and management team are knowingly and willingly continuing to pursue a reckless course, with clear evidence of worsening performance figures, and continuing episodes of avoidable patient harm.

“There have been a significant number of preventable deaths in A&E departments and a failure to respond to safety advice from their senior medical leaders. Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board appear hell-bent on a programme of community bed closures that can only worsen the situation.”

He added: “In a recent, high-profile case, the Northeast London NHS Foundation Trust was initially charged with corporate manslaughter following Coroner’s concerns over the trust failing in its duty of care to patients.

“It would be very unfortunate if the board of BCUHB and its management Team were to find itself in a similar position. When will BCUHB and the Welsh Government in Cardiff, that hold it in special measures, change course and act on the practical solutions proposed and overwhelmingly supported by the people of North Wales?”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We have set clear expectations for all health boards, including Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, to reduce emergency department long stays and complete ambulance handovers within 45 minutes. We have invested more than £200m this year to help manage more people in the community and avoid hospital admissions.

“Betsi Cadwaladr UHB remains at the highest level of escalation. While it has put in some important building blocks, significant improvements are still needed to planned and emergency care services.”

He added: “We continue to provide support and challenge to the health board as it works to improve services for people living in North Wales.”

A spokesperson for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said: “We recognise the serious pressures facing urgent and emergency care in North Wales and as a board we have considered this to be an area of immediate priority.

“Listening to patients and staff and stakeholders in our community indicates that reducing delays, corridor care, and improving patient flow and discharge from hospital is a collective priority, and hence this is the health board’s top operational goal, and we are taking coordinated action across the whole system to achieve this.

“Patient safety is key, and we continue to work closely with senior clinicians to address system pressures. Importantly the role local authorities also have is crucial, and we are working closely with partners in social care across the region.

“The most effective improvements for patients come from prioritising prevention, strengthening community-based services such as reablement, and improving coordination of care. Patients consistently tell us they want support at or close to home, and that is why we are investing in services that help people stay well and leave acute hospital safely, including new wellbeing centres and enhanced reablement services.

“For example, the board has recently approved the business case for development at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Rhyl, where our plans to introduce a minor injuries and ailments unit (MIAU) could enable up to 21,000 people to receive care closer to home each year.

“This will provide a positive alternative for many to attending the emergency department at Glan Clwyd Hospital. A new reablement facility also planned as part of the development could accommodate approximately 220 people each year, releasing up to 4,400 acute hospital bed days, easing the pressure at Glan Clwyd Hospital. The business case is currently being considered by Welsh Government.”

They added: “In Tywyn, we fully understand local concerns. Long-standing recruitment and retention challenges in certain services mean we must consider alternative options, to provide services that are clinically safe and sustainable.

“Recent engagement has included patient groups, Llais, local councils, the hospital action group, and clinical leaders, with community representatives and health board staff given equal voting rights in assessing the options.”

They added: “These challenges are complex and cannot be solved by a single action. We remain focused on working collectively with partners, clinicians, and communities to deliver safe, sustainable services for the people of North Wales.”

Campaigners in Tywyn have been fighting BETSI to reopen the ‘temporarily’ closed Dyfi ward at the town’s community hospital.

The ward has been closed since April 2023. The reason given for the closure was a shortage of staff.

The campaigners believe BETSI has no intention of reopening the ward now, but the health board told the ‘Cambrian News’ last week that a final decision has not been made.