One in five of the preventable death reports issued by coroners across Wales and England last year related to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, including 80 per cent of such reports in Wales in the past nine months, the Senedd has heard.
Darren Millar raised alarm about high numbers of prevention of future death reports, which can be issued after inquests, questioning whether lessons are being learned in north Wales.
Mr Millar called for a statement from the Welsh Government on what action is being taken by the health board, which has been in and out of special measures for a decade.
He said: “Last year some 21 per cent of all prevention of future death reports issued by coroners across the whole of England and Wales were in respect of Betsi Cadwaladr.
“That is an astonishing statistic.
“Now, clearly, we have to make sure that our NHS learns when issues like this occur and when reports of this nature are published.
“I cannot accept that it is appropriate that 21 per cent of all of those reports which are being issued have been in respect of one single health board.”
During the Senedd’s business statement on 12 March, Llŷr Gruffydd echoed calls for an update from the health minister on preventable death reports.
The Plaid Cymru MS, who represents North Wales, said: “They are there, of course, to help prevent future deaths and they clearly require urgent action by health boards.
“But, despite that statutory duty, there are worrying trends in north Wales.”
Mr Gruffydd told the chamber Betsi Cadwaladr accounted for 41 per cent of all preventable death coroner reports in Wales, rising to 50 per cent in 2021-22.
He said: “In the past nine months, Betsi Cadwaladr accounts for 80 per cent of all of these preventable death reports in Wales – 21 out of a total of 25.
“Now that to me points to a very serious ongoing problem in the north.”
Lesley Griffiths, for the Welsh Government, agreed that lessons have to be learned and would ask Wales’ health minister to bring forward a written statement on the issue.