Healthcare Inspectorate Wales designates the Emergency Department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd as a Service Requiring Significant Improvement

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 Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. It requires improvements to support consistently safe and well‑managed care, underpinned by effective leadership and oversight, and signals that HIW expects clear and urgent improvement, supported by stronger oversight, with enhanced monitoring and follow‑up to track progress. 

While HIW recognises the significant demand facing urgent and emergency care services, this decision is based on whether systems, accountability and oversight are sufficiently robust to manage those pressures safely and reduce the risk of variation in care.

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 closely with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board 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. 

The full inspection report, setting out detailed findings, will be published in September 2026.

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.

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.”