12.10.11
Welsh health service labelled ‘Russian roulette’.
The Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Kirsty Williams has sparked controversy by comparing the health service in Wales to ‘Russian roulette’. The comment follows a risk assessment of health boards, which showed a lack of appropriate services for heart attack or stroke cases.
None of the four general hospitals at Hywel Dda LHB could provide the ‘recommended’ services for patients presenting with heart attacks or stroke, it was found, due to a lack of availability of the necessary equipment.
First Minister Carwyn Jones responded: “I don't accept this story that somehow if you live in Wales it's a matter of chance whether you die or not. I think that's ridiculous.”
Hyweld Dda medical director Dr Simon Mahon said the risks highlighted had already been “mitigated or indeed removed”.
He told the BBC: “We would like to reassure patients that risk registers are an essential mechanism by which we can identify and address potential patient safety issues.
“By its very nature, risks are inherent within the health service, and it is the role of health boards to manage those risks safely to ensure the best outcomes for patients.
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