Councillor Hopes for Constructive Approach to Interventions at Grange University Hospital

A Caerphilly councillor hopes recent interventions at the Grange University Hospital will be constructive and avoid a “blame culture”.
The Welsh Government announced in January it would bring in enhanced and “targeted” monitoring at the Grange following concerns about its finances and its emergency department.
Kevin Etheridge, an independent councillor from Blackwood, has written to health minister Eluned Morgan seeking clarification on the extent of the new measures at the flagship hospital, which opened in Cwmbran in 2020.
He has also raised the matter of delayed transfers of care, as well as asking whether the government would be appointing an inspection team to the Grange.
Cllr Etheridge also praised the staff at the hospital for their work.
“Our residents here in Caerphilly County Borough require an exceptional service,” Cllr Etheridge told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
“While supporting the staff I wish the minister to confirm the detailed measures, support and monitoring they will be providing,” he added. 
“It should not be a blame culture, and partnership working is essential in patient care.”
A Welsh Government spokeswoman told the LDRS that “decisions to change the escalation level of a health board are not taken lightly”.
She added: “We are investing £14 million to extend and reconfigure parts of the Grange University Hospital emergency department to improve the quality of service and care people receive. 
“We will also work with the health board through escalation arrangement[s] to support them in delivering the actions and improvements required.”
Following news of the government’s interventions in late January, Nicola Prygodzicz, the chief executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said: “It is disappointing to be escalated but we absolutely acknowledge the areas of performance.”
Ms Prygodzicz added that she was confident the issues would improve with the additional support from the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​