Llais responds to ongoing pressures in emergency care at The Grange University Hospital

In recent weeks, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has undertaken significant work to start improving its urgent and emergency care services, making it a sustained priority at Board level.  

While we are beginning to hear examples of improvements in some areas of care, we also continue to hear about experiences which suggest that many of the challenges identified during our national review in 2025 remain a reality for people in Gwent today. 

People across the county, including those who have used services at The Grange University Hospital, have described waiting many hours for assessment and treatment, struggling to get updates about what was happening, and feeling anxious, exhausted and uncertain about when they would be seen.  

Others have spoken about the difficulties and emotional impact associated with lengthy waits, uncertainty and moving between different parts of the system. Some people and their families have also told us they did not always feel fully informed or involved in decisions about ongoing care and discharge arrangements. 

What we continue to hear also reinforces that many of the pressures facing emergency care are linked to wider challenges across health and social care. People have told us about delays in hospital discharge, difficulties accessing community support, poor coordination between services and uncertainty about who is responsible for different parts of their care. These wider system pressures affect patient flow and people's experiences of healthcare. 

Our role at Llais is to provide independent evidence about people's experiences, helping decision-makers understand where improvements are making a difference and where further action is still needed.  

So, we have shared this feedback from people, families and carers - and the People’s Principles - with the Health Board and pushed for it to influence its service improvements, policies and decision-making. Already we have seen evidence that people’s views and experiences have been used to shape elements of its work. 

Yet people still need to see and feel the difference improvements can make in their day-to-day experiences of care. The true measure of success is whether people receive timely healthcare and the support they need when they are at their most vulnerable, while feeling informed, involved and supported throughout their journey of care.  

Ultimately, improvements can only be judged successful when people consistently experience them for themselves. 

We will continue to ensure that people's voices are heard by those making decisions about health and social care services in Gwent. We will also continue to work constructively with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and its partners while independently assessing people's experiences of care. 

Where people are experiencing better care, we will recognise that progress. Where concerns remain, we will continue to highlight them and advocate for the changes that matter most to patients, families and carers. 

 

Lisa Charles, regional director for Llais Gwent, said: 

"The experiences people are sharing with us show why improving emergency care remains such an important priority in Gwent.  

"Too many people are still experiencing long waits, uncertainty and difficulties getting updates when they need urgent care. We are also hearing from some people and families who feel they are not always involved early enough in important decisions about their ongoing care and discharge. 

"We recognise that Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has made urgent and emergency care a major priority and is undertaking significant work to improve services. We have seen a genuine willingness to listen to patients, staff and partners, and evidence that public feedback is helping to shape service improvements. 

“However, concerns remain and continue to be reflected in what people tell us.  

"People understand that services are under pressure and they can see how hard staff are working. What they want is timely care, clear communication and confidence that they will be looked after when they need help. 

“The feedback people share with us helps show where improvements are making a real difference and where further action is still needed. That evidence is essential if services are to continue improving and responding to what matters most to people. 

"That's why we're encouraging anyone who has recently used emergency and urgent care services at The Grange University Hospital, or elsewhere in Gwent, to get in touch. Every experience helps build a clearer picture of what's happening on the ground and where services need to improve."