ALL seven of Wales’s health boards are in “escalated measures” for the first time in NHS history as they face extreme financial challenges. 

The authorities ran a collective deficit of £151.9 million last year, acccording to Audit Wales, but the boards warned Welsh government ministers in the spring that the situation was set to deteriorate rapidly this year, predicting that the shortfall could balloon to a staggering £650m.

The cash crisis has led to boards entering escalated measures as they struggle to submit medium-term operation plans that balance the books.

Interventions can range from low-level routine arrangements to enhanced monitoring, targeted intervention and special measures — the most serious action.

All seven boards have been escalated to enhanced monitoring for planning and finance, drawing criticism from opposition party Plaid Cymru’s health and care spokesman Mabon ap Gwynfor.

He urged Health Minister Eluned Morgan to address the issue before the NHS comes under the usual winter pressures, saying: “All health boards in Wales are now in some form of escalated measures. This is serious.

“For the government to publish this as a written statement with no opportunity for immediate Senedd scrutiny is a cynical move by a minister that seems to have lost grip on the entire situation.

“It should not have taken until now for the minister to realise the gravity of the situation health boards were in and to take action.

“The health minister must urgently address the implications of escalating intervention arrangements and provide both a clear picture of the financial well-being of health boards and a meaningful plan that gives confidence to patients, particularly with undoubted winter pressures approaching.”

In a statement, the Labour minister said: “It is disappointing that all health boards have been escalated to enhanced monitoring for planning and finance.

“We do not make these decisions lightly and it reflects the very difficult financial position we are in, as a result of inflation and austerity and the challenges affecting health boards.

“We are seeing operational pressures, long waiting lists and an extremely challenging financial position in the NHS, but this is not unique to Wales.

“We will support health boards to improve their financial planning positions, but some difficult decisions will need to be made as we work through this very tough financial challenge.

“In the coming weeks and months, together with the NHS, we will be working with the public to outline where savings need to be made to reduce these significant budget deficits.”