Commission an independent review into the leadership and culture of Aneurin Bevan Health Board

Catastrophic mortuary errors saw bodies wrongly released, while patients were exposed to unsterilised surgical equipment, with whistleblowers alleging delays in informing patients and staff discouraged from speaking to the press. A Royal College of Physicians review undertaken in 2021 described an “unsafe culture” where doctors felt “scared to come to work” and concerns were ignored. In the case of Natalie Dyke, a vulnerable autistic young patient was harmed during a traumatic procedure with lasting impact; the case was initially closed without informing her and only progressed after media scrutiny, with allegations of falsified records and prior fraud findings relating to the clinician involved. Concerns raised by whistleblowers, including Amy McCrystal, highlight how staff are treated when speaking up. The Board has been escalated to Level 4 and criticised over governance failures, including poor oversight in the eHarley Street contracts, indicating systemic cultural and leadership concerns.