A HEALTH chief is calling for an explanation of why a hospital's approach to covid-19 measures appear to have been "fundamentally different" to other sites.

The question, from North Wales Community Health Council chief officer Geoff Ryall-Harvey, comes after it was revealed staff at Wrexham Maelor Hospital had gone from working on covid wards to regular wards without being tested for the virus.

Towards the end of July Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board confirmed the number of patients who had tested positive reached 60 to 70.

Numbers have since fallen, with 36 reported on Tuesday.

Mr Ryall-Harvey said: "It would appear that the key issue has been the onward transmission by staff.

"The figures shot up dramatically, and have gone down equally dramatically.

"But the difficult thing to understand - and I'll be asking the health board about this - is why the Maelor was different to Glan Glwyd or Ysbyty Gwynedd, because we have not had this situation there.

"The other two hospital were in line with everywhere else in Wales and England, but Wrexham Maelor seems to have been fundamentally different.

"We'll be asking the health board to reflect on why that was and I want people to know we are asking what can be learned to stop it happening again."

Speaking of the present situation at the hospital, Mr Ryall-Harvey added: "The figures are falling and there is a range of additional precautions in place, so I think people can be reassured by that.

"Of course that's no comfort to the people who caught covid during the period of this spike.

"If people wish to make a complaint about having gone in covid-free and acquiring it in the hospital, that is what the North Wales Community Health Council is here for - they can speak to us and we will assist them."

Gill Harris, executive director of nursing and midwifery said: “We continue to manage the situation at Wrexham Maelor Hospital following national guidance in relation to Public Health and Infection Prevention and Control practices.

“This guidance includes completing detailed post infection reviews and tracing for each positive case.

"To date, the reviews undertaken have not indicated staff to patient transmission as being the likely cause of the outbreak.”