Health
Autism and ADHD waiting lists ‘could triple in two years’

THE NUMBER of children waiting for an autism or ADHD assessment in Wales could nearly triple to 61,000 over the next two years, a committee heard.
Sarah Murphy, Wales’ mental health minister, told the Senedd’s children’s committee that 20,770 children were waiting for a neurodevelopmental assessment in September 2024.
She said: “The assessment we’ve got from the NHS Executive is that we’re going to see, by March 2027, between 41,000 to 61,000 people waiting for these assessments.”
By comparison, according to freedom of information (FoI) requests, around 4,100 children were awaiting an ADHD or autism assessment in September 2021.
Giving evidence on January 9, Ms Murphy, who is responsible for neurodevelopmental conditions, learning disability, and dementia, pointed to an extra £3m for health boards.
Ms Murphy said: “It will benefit the children and young people who have been waiting the longest and the money then is dependent on the delivery.”
Quizzed by Vaughan Gething, the former First Minister who first brought her into government in May, she suggested the surge in demand was down to increasing awareness.

She added: “That assessment means a lot to children, young people and their families. I was speaking to the National Autistic Society yesterday and they said ‘we’ve raised so much awareness but now we need to ride that wave towards understanding and acceptance’.”
The Conservatives’ Joel James was alarmed to hear waiting lists could almost triple in two years, asking how ministers will intervene to ensure sustainable services.
Ms Murphy replied: “We’ve done a national accelerated design event which was really good. It was over a couple of days: it brought together … everybody who has a part to play in this.
“Because we all recognise that this cannot continue – we have to change.”
Asked whether health boards could expect more funding to drive down waiting lists in future, she said: “No. To be very clear, the £3m is one-off funding.”
Ms Murphy explained health boards are bringing in additional capacity from the private sector in an effort to meet demand but cautioned that this is unsustainable.
The Welsh Government has a target of 80% of children and young people receiving an assessment in 26 weeks, twice as long as the 13 weeks recommended by NICE guidelines.
Yet, while data on waiting times is not routinely published unlike in England, it is thought the 80% target has not been met Wales-wide since it was introduced nearly a decade ago.
Welsh ministers have no corresponding target for adult assessments.
Sixty-seven per cent of children waited at least 26 weeks and 45% waited for more than a year in June 2023, according to the response to another FoI request.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg and Betsi Cadwaladr university health boards currently warn of waiting lists of two and three years, respectively.
Albert Heaney, the chief social care officer for Wales, said health boards are confident an extra 2,000 assessments will be delivered by the end of March.
He said: “Importantly, the money is on condition that they are delivered. It’s coming the other way around on this occasion … it’s not money that’s given out, the money is on delivery.”
Mr Heaney added: “I’m really pleased that there’s a lot of co-production, there’s lived experience, there’s a real energy around this because I think there’s recognition … that it can’t just be about focusing on assessment.”
Health
Ultra-processed foods ‘fuelling public health emergency’

SENEDD Members warned of a public health emergency due to the dominance of ultra-processed food in people’s diets.
Labour’s Jenny Rathbone led a debate on a cross-party motion which was co-submitted by the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru.
She told the Senedd: “The food industry spends billions promoting our disastrous diets and we have to use the power of community to fight back.”
Ms Rathbone warned: “There’s no time to lose. The ever-escalating diabetes epidemic is already devouring 17% of the NHS budget.
“The levels of malnutrition among hospital patients are prolonging patient stays, and the main driver of early death and chronic illness is not smoking but our obesogenic diets.”
The Conservatives’ Peter Fox introduced an ultimately unsuccessful bill on sustainable production and food security in 2021.
“We don’t need data to show that things are getting worse,” said Mr Fox, a farmer and former council leader. “It’s clearly evident all around us.
“We see growing levels of obesity across our population and, worryingly, a significant rise in childhood obesity leading to serious health-related issues, such as childhood diabetes.”
During the February 12 debate, Plaid Cŷmru’s Llyr Gruffydd warned that too many people in Wales struggle to access fresh, healthy and affordable food.
He urged ministers to make greater use of public procurement to improve food in schools, hospitals and care homes while supporting Welsh producers.
Labour’s Lee Waters broadly agreed, telling the Senedd that only about 6% of fruit and veg used by the Welsh public sector is grown in Wales.
He said: “What’s stopping us from supporting Welsh farmers and buying local? Well, we don’t grow enough veg for a start, so there’s an opportunity for farmers to embrace horticulture to create new sources of income.”
But the former minister stressed the need to influence the private sector, with the value of all public food procurement equivalent to the annual turnover of one big supermarket.
Warning of a public health emergency, Alun Davies, a fellow Labour backbencher, urged the Welsh Government to put food centre stage.
He said: “I think it’s no exaggeration to say that obesity is an absolute national emergency and it’s not a national emergency that is an act of God; it’s an act of capitalism.”
Huw Irranca-Davies said the Welsh Government’s community food strategy would be published as soon as possible as he pointed to spending on local food partnerships.
The Deputy First Minister, who is responsible for food policy, described the food sector as a real success story employing 228,000 people or 17% of Wales’s workforce.
Ms Rathbone argued the community food strategy will be insufficient, warning a lack of follow through and rigorous execution has left Wales a very pale imitation of Scotland.
She said: “France and Italy would never have allowed their children to be sold the second-class food that is being served in our schools today.
“And I want to see the commitment to actually ban ultra-processed food from all public procurement – that is what we need to work towards.
“We can’t achieve it overnight but we need to set a date and do it.”
Health
Nursing applications rise but concerns remain over long-term decline

RCN Wales calls for urgent action as Cardiff University faces cuts
THE NuMBER of applicants for nursing courses in Wales has risen by 14% this year, but the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) warns that the longer-term decline remains a major concern.
Figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show applications for 2025 nursing courses have increased from 3,050 to 3,480. However, since 2021, applications have fallen by 15%, down from 4,090.
Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, welcomed the rise but warned that it does not reverse years of declining interest in the profession.
“This increase in applications is a positive step, but we remain deeply concerned about the long-term decline in nursing applicants in Wales,” she said. “The health care system is already under immense pressure, and without sustained investment in nursing education, we risk deepening the workforce crisis.”
Cardiff University nursing cuts ‘alarming’
Ms Whyley also criticised Cardiff University’s proposed closure of its School of Nursing, warning that it would have serious consequences for Wales’ health services.
“RCN Wales is alarmed by Cardiff University’s current proposals,” she said. “Any reduction in nursing education provision would have significant implications for the future workforce and the ability to meet health care needs across Wales. We urge Cardiff University and policymakers to prioritise investment in nursing education and ensure that opportunities for aspiring nurses are expanded rather than reduced.”
Need for more nursing education places
Despite steady commissioning figures for nurse education places in Wales, RCN Wales argues that numbers must be increased to match growing demand.
Ms Whyley added: “RCN Wales will continue to advocate for sustained investment in nursing education, ensuring that Wales has a well-supported, well-educated nursing workforce now and in the future. The RCN urges the Welsh government, universities, and health leaders to work together to secure the long-term sustainability of nursing education and protect the future of the profession.”
With thousands of nursing vacancies still unfilled across Wales, the RCN is calling for urgent action to ensure the next generation of nurses can be trained and supported in their careers.
Health
Emergency care failing in Wales, warns damming report

EMERGENCY healthcare in Wales is failing too many people, according to a stark new report by Llais, the statutory body representing the public’s voice in Welsh health and social care. The report, based on feedback from over 700 people, calls for urgent action, warning that the state of emergency services has reached a crisis point.
Llais’ study, conducted over a five-week period, included visits to 42 emergency departments, minor injury units, and medical assessment units across Wales. The findings highlight severe delays, overcrowding, and a system struggling to meet even basic expectations.
Patients forced to find their own way to hospital
One of the most alarming takeaways from the report is the frequency of ambulance delays. Many patients reported waiting for up to 12 hours for emergency transport, forcing them to either drive themselves or rely on friends and family, despite being seriously unwell. Some even risked worsening their condition by taking taxis or public transport.
A patient at Morriston Hospital’s emergency department described the situation as dire: “I drove because the ambulance ETA was 7-8 hours, but I had severe chest pain and couldn’t wait that long.”
Others recounted horror stories of being sent to the wrong hospitals due to poor communication, leaving them stranded and paying exorbitant taxi fares to correct the mistake. One patient, initially taken to Glangwili Hospital despite their complex spinal history, had to pay £130 for a taxi back to Swansea, where they should have been taken in the first place.
Unbearable waiting times and overcrowding
The report details widespread reports of excessive waiting times, with many patients enduring 8 to 24 hours before receiving care. In some cases, waits exceeded 26 hours. Overcrowding is commonplace, with many patients left waiting in corridors, unable to access beds or even chairs.
One individual at Royal Glamorgan Hospital A&E said: “I’ve been waiting 12 hours and only had triage and a water sample. I’m in a corridor that’s meant to be for paediatrics – it’s uncomfortable and degrading.”
Families of vulnerable patients described feeling abandoned, with little communication from staff about their loved ones’ condition. One woman at Bronglais General Hospital recounted her frustration: “We are not too sure what is going on. We spoke to a nurse just over an hour ago. We are still waiting. We’ve been given no explanation of what the treatment is to be.”
Critical incidents declared
The Llais report warns that the pressures on Welsh emergency services are not temporary, but systemic. Since the study was conducted, ‘business critical incidents’ have been declared by both the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Other health boards, including Swansea Bay and Cwm Taf Morgannwg, have issued urgent warnings about overwhelming demand.
Calls for immediate action
Llais Chief Executive Alyson Thomas has called for immediate action, stating: “The voices we’ve heard paint a stark picture of a system under immense pressure. While we commend the dedication of healthcare staff, they are working in a system that is not giving them or the people they care for the support they need.”
The report calls for urgent measures, including:
- Faster ambulance response times
- Better coordination between emergency services and primary care
- Increased staffing and resource allocation
- Improved dignity and care for patients waiting in corridors
- Greater transparency and accountability from NHS Wales and the Welsh Government
Welsh Conservative response: “Labour’s mismanagement to blame”
James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, has sharply criticised the Welsh Labour Government’s handling of emergency care.
“Emergency care is losing the very essence of its definition. Responses are too slow, and far too many people are suffering as a result of Labour’s mismanagement,” Evans stated.
He dismissed the idea that ‘winter pressures’ could explain the ongoing crisis, arguing that the current state of emergency care has become an unacceptable ‘new normal.’
“No one should be waiting over 12 hours in A&E, certainly not the many thousands we are seeing every month. The Welsh Labour Government seems completely unwilling to get to grips with this situation. Only the Welsh Conservatives stand ready to replace them so that we can fix Wales.”
Calls for reform
Keir Starmer, Prime Minister, acknowledged the crisis, stating: “The NHS in Wales is in urgent need of reform. Investment and reform need to go together… On occasions, using the private sector to get down waiting lists? Yes, that’s been going on a long time. We will do that to get waiting lists down.”
In a Senedd debate in January 2025, concerns were raised that waiting lists have hit record highs after nine months of continuous increases, forcing many patients to pay for private healthcare after years of waiting.
First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, stated: “Reducing waiting times must be our key objective… It’s about rolling up our sleeves and collaborating to deliver the investment and reform desperately needed for healthcare in Wales.”
A Welsh Labour Government statement reaffirmed their commitment to the NHS: “Your Welsh Labour Government will always support the NHS – and will always support the NHS to change and modernise. That means continuing to invest in the NHS… Reforms have also focused on providing more care and NHS services out of hospital and in local communities.”
A system at breaking point
With emergency care in Wales under “extreme and unsustainable pressure,” as described by Llais Chair Professor Medwin Hughes, many patients and staff feel abandoned in a system that is failing them.
“The dignity of patients is not even being considered anymore. The system is chaotically inefficient and in desperate need of a review,” one patient at Glan Clwyd Hospital remarked.
Llais has vowed to keep pushing for reform, but with patient experiences growing increasingly dire, the question remains: how much longer can Wales’ emergency healthcare system hold on before it completely collapses?
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