Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Health Minister attacks Labour health Minister over Cwm Taf ‘management failings’

PLAD Cymru Shadow Health Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth AM has accused the Labour Health Minister of still siding “with those responsible for management failings” after a report published today said that there was “much more to be done” to deal with serious failings in Cwm Taf maternity services.

Mr ap Iorwerth said that Plaid Cymru would end “establish a professional regulatory body for NHS managers” in order to put management “on the same footing as clinical staff.”

Mr ap Iorwerth said that it was “questionable” whether a culture change could happen without changes to the NHS management culture itself which, according to Mr ap Iorwerth, had “failed miserably” to hold any manage to account for the failures in Cwm Taf.

The shadow health minister said that it wasn’t right that doctors and nurses could be struck off for failure whilst there were “no consequences when management fails”.

Responding to the latest progress report to improve maternity care at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Plaid Cymru Shadow Health Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth AM said,

“Almost one year on from the serious and horrific failings in Cwm Taf that resulted in the death of babies this update on progress highlights significant work still to be done.

“However, it is questionable whether changes in culture can occur without significant changes to the culture of the NHS management itself which has failed miserably to hold any manager to account for the failures that have been seen in Cwm Taf.

“We have excellent managers in the NHS, too, but it cannot be right that whilst doctors and nurses can be struck off for failure, but there are no consequences when management fails. Yet the current Labour Health Minister still sides with those responsible for management failings. Plaid Cymru will end that culture and establish a professional regulatory body for NHS managers to put management on the same footing as clinical staff.