The Welsh Goverment says it will take direct action to stabilise services and strenghten leadership at the North Wales health board, which has been under special measures since February 2023.

Mabon ap Gwynfor told Senedd members on Tuesday that the health board "continues to fall short of the standards that people in north Wales deserve and has been clear that the situation can no longer continue".

A full independent review will be carried out, looking into patient safety, leadership and culture, reporting back by the end of October.

The Welsh Government said previous intervention measures had relied on Betsi Cadwaladr to leading its own recovery with external support - but they had not delivered the pace or scale of change required.

Mabon ap Gwynfor said: "People in north Wales are waiting too long to be able to access the care and treatment they need. This is not a reality the public should be asked to accept, and it is not one this Government will accept either."

"This is the board’s final chance to demonstrate they can deliver the consistent high standards of care that the people of north Wales deserve."

Recently, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales designataed the emergency department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan as in need of significant improvement, less than two years after that status had been lifted.

An improvement plan will be drawn up as part of support from the NHS Wales' performance and improvement unit (NHSWPI), which will seek to help Betsi Cadwaladr in improving planned care, diagnostics and cancer services

Mr ap Gwynfor added: "This new plan represents a clear departure from the failed approaches of the past."

"We are not simply asking the organisation to improve; we are directing them on how that improvement happens. That means setting clear expectations, providing targeted expertise, and maintaining close and continuous oversight of delivery."

"It is a clear statement of my commitment to supporting improvement and ensuring the people of north Wales receive the safe, high-quality and timely care they deserve."

Reacting to the announcement, Betsi Cadwaladr chair Dyfed Edwards said: "We welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with Welsh Government and NHS Performance and Improvement to ensure we continue making improvements for the people of North Wales."

"As a board, we remain committed to delivering safe, high-quality care and to learning from independent expertise that will help strengthen our organisation."