Glan Clwyd Hospital Explained

Glan Clwyd Hospital
Org/Group:Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Map Type:Wales Denbighshire
Location:Bodelwyddan
Region:Denbighshire
Country:Wales
Coordinates:53.2714°N -3.4957°W
Healthcare:NHS Wales
Type:General
Beds:466
Founded:1980

Glan Clwyd Hospital (Welsh: Ysbyty Glan Clwyd) is a hospital in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, Wales. It is managed by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

History

The hospital, which was built with six operating theatres at a cost of £16 million, opened in 1980.[1] Double Olympic gold medallist Jade Jones was born in the hospital in March 1993.[2] The North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre, which provides cancer treatment for patients across North Wales, opened at the hospital in June 2000 and was then run by the North Wales Cancer Service.[3] A new operating theatre department was opened in 2012, followed by a new pathology department in 2013.[4]

Performance

A report by Donna Ockenden claiming “institutionalised abuse” at the Tawel Fan psychiatric ward at the Ablett Unit was published in May 2015. Families described seeing patients "constantly crawling on dirty floors" and being "like a zombie...drugged up".[5] As a result, seven employees were referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and three to the General Medical Council. Chief Executive Trevor Purt described the treatment of some patients as “shocking, inexcusable and unacceptable”.[6]

Hip replacement surgery waiting times (112 weeks) at the hospital were branded an "outrage" by Darren Millar in February 2017.[7]

Improvements

A new Emergency Department (replacing the old A&E at the left hand side of the main building), a new theatre complex, mortuary and bereavement centre, X ray centre (replacing the two old X ray centres, one of which was in the old A&E) and Pathology building opened in 2014/15.[8]

Plans to downgrade maternity services at Glan Clwyd were published in 2015. After a public outcry, multiple demonstrations, a series of often fractious public consultation meetings across north Wales, and a petition signed by over 15,000 people, the plans were finally abandoned later that year.[9]

In 2017, Glan Clwyd initiated an improvement scheme which will centralise neonatal intensive care in North Wales.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Glan Clwyd Hospital. https://web.archive.org/web/20120311075904/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-300000-375000/page/7. dead. 11 March 2012. BBC. 8 February 2019.
  2. Web site: Jade Jones Net Worth. Spears Wealth Management. 8 February 2019.
  3. Web site: History. North Wales Cancer Appeal. 26 February 2019.
  4. Web site: The story so far. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. 8 February 2019.
  5. News: Glan Clwyd Hospital: Disciplinary action promised by Jones. 7 June 2015. BBC. 2 June 2015.
  6. News: Staff from "disgraced" mental health ward at Glan Clwyd Hospital reported. 7 June 2015. News North Wales. 3 June 2015.
  7. News: Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hip surgery waiting times an 'outrage'. 6 July 2017. BBC News. 1 February 2017.
  8. News: All Change at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. 6 July 2017. Radio Glan Clwyd. 2015.
  9. Web site: 15,000 signature petition against north Wales maternity downgrade handed in. 3 March 2015. ITV. 8 February 2019.
  10. News: Neonatal Care Centre to be built at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. 6 July 2017. ITV. 24 October 2016.