New data reveals that hospital waiting lists in Wales have reached an unprecedented high. The figures indicate that there are 760,282 patient pathways awaiting treatment, with one in five patients enduring waits exceeding a year.
Eluned Morgan, the Health Minister for Wales, expressed her disappointment regarding these statistics, while the British Medical Association (BMA) cautioned that the NHS is confronting an “existential crisis.” Although there was an improvement in cancer waiting times, ambulance responses to life-threatening calls deteriorated.
These latest statistics from Digital Health and Care Wales underscore the immense strain on the NHS, emerging just two days after the Welsh government announced an additional £425 million would be allocated to health and social care for the current year.
Despite the infusion of funds, Finance Minister Rebecca Evans stressed that health boards would have to confront “extremely difficult decisions this year and the next”.
First Minister Mark Drakeford similarly suggested that the funding would merely suffice to “keep things going” during a “crisis”.
Ms. Morgan painted a grim picture, describing the forthcoming season as a “very tough winter”.
“It is going to be pressurised, there’s no question about that and of course, we’re doing that at a time of significant financial constraints as well.
“We’re spending a lot of time discussing with our local government colleagues to make sure that we can improve the flow through our hospitals trying to put more support into our communities to stop people from coming into hospitals.”
The figure of 760,282 patient pathways, which signifies the path to treatment following a referral for a specific medical condition, has reached an all-time peak.
Since some patients are registered on multiple waiting lists for various conditions, it is approximated that there are 593,000 distinct patients on these lists. When focusing on specialist consultations, akin to the English model for comparison, a total of 133,180 individuals have been waiting for over a year.
This marks the second consecutive monthly increase following a seven-month decline. It affects 19.8% of patients on the waiting list, in contrast to the 5.1% in England who have been waiting for more than a year.
Regarding accident and emergency care, there was a positive change over the course of the month. In major A&E units, 59.5% of patients were processed within four hours, a slightly better performance compared to the situation in England. However, it’s worth noting that 9,656 patients still endured waiting times of 12 hours or more in A&E, albeit with a marginal improvement from the previous month, although the ultimate goal is to ensure no one faces such extended waits.
In recent days, senior doctors in Wales have questioned the A&E statistics, but the Welsh government reiterated that, as before, the numbers incorporate what are known as “clinical exceptions.”
Health Minister Ms Morgan said: “It is disappointing to see overall waiting lists rise again, but I have been clear with health boards that I expect to see improvement in this area, and we will continue to support them to achieve that.
“It is crucial that we develop solutions that will create an NHS that is fit for the future, despite the financial challenges that we are up against.”
