THE Emergency Department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd has been placed under enhanced scrutiny after Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) designated the service as a Service Requiring Significant Improvement (SRSI) following serious concerns about leadership, governance and the management of risk.
This follows an unannounced inspection carried out in May 2026 by HIW.
This designation has been made in line with HIW’s Service of Concern process and reflects concerns identified during the inspection about leadership, governance and risk management within the Emergency Department at the Bodelwyddan hospital.
Alun Jones, Chief Executive of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, said: “We have designated the Emergency Department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd as a Service Requiring Significant Improvement following concerns about leadership, governance and the management of risk.
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"This designation means we expect clear and urgent improvement, supported by stronger oversight and accountability.
"While we recognise the pressures facing emergency departments, services must have effective arrangements in place to manage those pressures safely.
"We will continue to monitor progress closely and will report our full findings in September.”
HIW said it recognises the "significant demand" facing urgent and emergency care services.
The department was previously subject to SRSI arrangements between May 2022 and August 2024.
This latest designation indicates that the improvements made during that period have not been sustained.
Since the inspection, HIW has engaged with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and will continue to monitor progress through its Service of Concern process. This includes structured engagement, agreed actions and ongoing assurance activity until HIW is satisfied that the necessary improvements have been made.
HIW’s role is to identify concerns and ensure that services take the action needed to improve and provide safe care.
Patients who need urgent or emergency care should continue to attend the department.
Carol Shillabeer, Chief Executive at BCUHB, said: "Following an unannounced inspection by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales in May 2026, the Emergency Department at Glan Clwyd Hospital will be designated as Service Requiring Significant Improvement. The decision reflects serious concerns and we fully accept the findings.
"The issues relate to leadership and culture, patient safety, overcrowding and the safety and experience of patients waiting for care. We are sorry that, in some areas, the standard of care has not been where it needs to be for our patients.
"We know this will be concerning for the people we serve and for our staff, who are working under sustained pressure, and we want to reassure them that immediate action is underway.
"We have a clear understanding of the issues identified and a strengthened improvement plan is already being implemented with pace and strong oversight. This includes reducing overcrowding, strengthening patient safety, improving leadership and oversight within the department, and ensuring patients receive safe care from the point they arrive, including while they are waiting to be seen.
"Next week, the board will also consider plans to strengthen staffing in our Emergency Departments across North Wales. This represents another key step in delivering safe, timely and sustainable improvements in urgent and emergency care, complementing ongoing joint efforts with partners to address the structural issues of constrained patient flow and capacity, which are often the root cause of long waiting times, delayed ambulance handovers, and overcrowding within our Emergency Departments.
"These challenges cannot be addressed by the Health Board alone and we remain hugely grateful to our colleagues in local authorities and partner organisation for working with us to deliver the required improvements.
"We welcome the scrutiny from HIW and will continue to report openly on the progress we make. Our focus is on delivering safe, timely and high-quality care for the people of North Wales."
The full HIW inspection report, setting out detailed findings, will be published in September 2026.
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