‘These findings paint a deeply concerning picture of mental health services under significant strain’
17:08, 27 Apr 2026Updated 18:42, 27 Apr 2026
Hafan Y Coed mental health unit at Llandough Hospital, near Cardiff(Image: Richard Williams / Wales Online)
A recruitment freeze is worsening the turmoil at a troubled health board, according to a report leaked to WalesOnline. Last week we revealed one of the most senior figures at Cardiff and Vale university health board had been removed from his position amid serious failings in mental health services.
Now we can give more insight from a report that lays bare the desperate state of mental health provision at the organisation, which runs the University Hospital of Wales and various other facilities.
The report, from external investigators, highlights a long list of problems including that a recruitment freeze has been “impacting care”; risks have been “under-reported”; and a need for “new leadership”.
The Welsh Conservatives told us the findings “paint a deeply concerning picture of mental health services under significant strain”. Plaid Cymru said the problems were systemic and the result of “years of inaction and weak governance” under the Labour Welsh Government.
In response the health board said there was not a “full” vacancy freeze and that its mental health services were under “significant” pressure from high demand.
Morale low and staff responsibilities ‘unclear’
One of the health board’s most controversial facilities is the Hafan y Coed mental health unit in Llandough hospital. We recently revealed the horrendous experiences of patients at the unit, which has been criticised by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales for a lack of improvement despite years of scathing inspection reports.
Last year the Welsh Government announced a “targeted intervention” into the health board due to “serious concerns” over governance, culture and safety. Investigators from a consultancy called 36 Degrees were sent in to find out what was going wrong with mental health services.
We can reveal its report highlights staff “shortages” amid a hiring freeze; a need for “urgent ward-level actions”; and risks not being reported properly on Datix, an NHS reporting system for incidents and risk management.
This is not the first time the recruitment freeze has come under fire. We recently published a letter from almost 300 doctors raising the alarm to health board management over – among many other things – “deeply concerning” plans to cut the workforce by around 350 posts by stopping hiring for many roles. The decision was made without consulting committees of senior medics, we reported at the time.
The 36 Degrees report points to “challenges with morale, a disconnect between values and lived experience, limited staff involvement in decision-making, and a need for stronger leadership visibility”.
The investigators identified problems with “bureaucracy” and “excessive” meetings, and recommended the health board “streamline governance arrangements under new leadership”.
They found issues with “unclear roles and responsibilities”, “inconsistent service specifications”, and waits for treatment. Also highlighted was a problem with “out-of-area placements”, which is when patients are moved away from their local area for care – often due to a lack of beds.
Standard operating procedures were said to be “outdated”. And when it came to digital issues, the consultancy found there was no “clear” strategy, a “low confidence in data”, and “poor interoperability with other systems”.
The health board refused to give details on which roles were affected by the recruitment freeze but said it had “a statutory duty to operate to a balanced financial position”.
A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said the findings were not “isolated” but reflective of a system not working effectively, adding: “This report lays bare the scale of the challenges facing our NHS. Years of inaction and weak governance under Labour have allowed systemic issues to deepen, with staff overstretched and patients left waiting too long for the care they deserve.”
And the Tories said: “These findings paint a deeply concerning picture of mental health services under significant strain. Staff are being asked to do more with less, while navigating bureaucracy, unclear systems and ongoing workforce pressures. Patients and staff deserve transparency, stability and a clear plan for improvement.”
Shocking failings
In the last year WalesOnline has revealed a stunning series of failings at the health board. One former soldier arrived at Hafan y Coed desperately needing help with a mental health crisis only to be placed in a damp room strewn with chunks of plaster, where he was left in vomit-covered clothes for three days with a wound that became infected.
We also interviewed the heartbroken family of a patient who died after obtaining an illegal drug in circumstances the health board has been unable to explain. Another former patient told us he and other patients were mocked and treated with “contempt” by some staff at Hafan y Coed.
Inspections of the 134-bed unit have highlighted a long list of problems, including with restraint of patients, infection control, hygiene risks, broken fixtures, water damage, training standards and understaffing. Some of the issues were first raised as far back as 2020 but not addressed, according to Healthcare Inspectorate Wales.
More widely, a near-constant stream of scandals has besieged the health board over the last year or so. In January we revealed leaked findings into University Hospital of Wales’ decontamination unit including coercive behaviour, violence, sabotage, bullying, and an alleged poisoning attempt.
Months earlier a damning report on the culture of the hospital’s operating theatres had found illicit drug use, racism, bullying and staff sabotaging each other.
There was also the shocking case of Gareth Idris Johnson, a much-loved 41-year-old dad-of-three who died after the hospital’s maintenance problems led to him being moved to a different unit following an operation.
This prompted coroner Kerrie Burge to warn the health board there was a risk of more deaths if the hospital’s problems were not addressed. Whistleblowers have frequently spoken to us about the horrendous conditions at the pigeon-infested site in Heath.
Other recent controversies include the health board’s toleration of a senior nurse bullying colleagues for years, allegations of unauthorised visitors being invited in to watch operations, an employee avoiding suspension despite being arrested on suspicion of rape, and a surgical swab accidentally being left at the back of a patient’s throat for more than 24 hours.
What the health board and government say
A health board spokeswoman said: “Similar to much of the UK, our mental health services are under significant and sustained pressure, driven by factors including rising demand and clinical complexity. In line with our ambitions to provide high quality care for our population, we are committed to delivering significant service improvements.
“In summer 2025 the health board commissioned a review by an external provider – 36 Degrees – to deliver an independent assessment on current performance, risks and opportunities. Phase one of the review has focused on discovery and evaluation, highlighting significant challenges in areas such as safety, workforce, access, environments, leadership and digital.
“However, the review has demonstrated that the commitment and compassion of the workforce, strong partnerships and national policy, provide a real opportunity for improvement.”
Speaking about the recruitment freeze affecting some roles, she added: “The size and scale of the financial challenge facing the health board means we need to closely monitor the appointment of roles across the organisation. Every role is reviewed at a senior level, on a range of criteria including quality and safety. Quality of care and safety for patients remains paramount to us.”
The Welsh Government declined to comment specifically on the findings but reiterated that it was ensuring changes at the health board having put it in ‘level four’ escalation, one step short of special measures.
If you would like to let us know about a Welsh NHS issue we should be investigating, you can email us at conor.gogarty@walesonline.co.uk
Ensure our latest news and sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.