Betsi Cadwaladr health board member quits after a week

A troubled health board has seen one of its independent board members resign just one week after being appointed.

Lesley Singleton's name only appeared on Betsi Cadwaladr health board's website last week.

The previous 11 independent board members controversially resigned in February, claiming Health Minister Eluned Morgan forced them to quit.

Concerns were raised after Newyddion S4C revealed Ms Singleton was employed by the health board until last year.

Ms Singleton had sat around the board table during her time as director, meaning in her new role she would be scrutinising decisions made by the health board she recently worked for.

The Welsh government initially issued a statement saying Ms Singleton has worked in the field of mental health for more than 25 years and brought " a wealth of experience".

But it then responded on Wednesday to say Ms Singleton had "stepped down".

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week said he was "seriously worried" about the scandal-hit health board, which was put back under special measures three months ago.

Because it is in special measures, new board members are appointed directly by the health minister, with no requirement for an advertisement or interview process.

Newyddion S4C has been told concerns were raised by former board members about Ms Singleton's appointment in light of her employment at the health board.

At the beginning of the pandemic, she was director of mental health and learning disabilities.

During that period, while still under special measures, 1,694 mental health patients were wrongly discharged.

The health board said Ms Singleton was employed as a director until early 2022 when she started as national programme director in mental health for NHS Wales.

But Newyddion S4C has been sent documents confirming that appointment was a secondment and she was employed by Betsi Cadwaladr until summer 2022.

Her profile on the health board website has been removed, but previously made no reference to her employment there.

North Wales Conservative spokesman Darren Millar said that "as a former executive director of the health board with close ties to the current senior team, Lesley Singleton should never have been appointed in the first place".  

"The shambolic way that Labour has mishandled the crisis in leadership at Betsi has prolonged the problems and failures in the NHS in north Wales and people in the region deserve an apology."

Speaking before Ms Singleton's resignation was announced, Plaid Cymru health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth said "it is obviously going to raise questions"

He added: "And remember we are not in a position here where there are open recruitment processes in place and competition and so forth."

Ms Singleton did not respond to a request for comment.