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No improvement in cancer waiting times despite Welsh Govt plan

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TWO years after the Welsh Government unveiled its ambitious plan to overhaul cancer care and reduce waiting times, the latest data reveals a stark reality: there has been no significant improvement.

New figures from NHS Wales indicate that nearly half of cancer patients are still waiting over 62 days to begin treatment. This troubling statistic underscores the ongoing crisis in Welsh cancer care, despite the dedicated efforts of healthcare professionals.

Glenn Page, Policy and Public Affairs Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, expressed his concern, stating: “Around half of people diagnosed with cancer are having to wait more than 62 days to start treatment. There are real people’s lives behind these unacceptable figures. At Macmillan, we hear every day from patients and their loved ones about the unbearable anxiety and worry these delays cause, on top of everything else a diagnosis brings.”

The persistent delays in cancer treatment have significant implications. Survival rates in Wales lag behind those in other countries by as much as 20 years, a disparity that reflects the severe strain on NHS cancer services. Despite minor improvements from the previous month, the performance remains worse than the same period in three of the past four years.

In May 2024, over 800 people in Wales waited more than 62 days to start cancer treatment, accounting for 45% of all patients who began treatment that month. This is a slight improvement from the previous month’s 53.8%, yet still highlights the systemic issues within the NHS.

Particularly concerning are the waiting times for specific cancer types. Only 33.3% of urological cancer patients and 34.3% of head and neck cancer patients started treatment within the target time in May 2024. Macmillan’s analysis further reveals that survival rates for colon and rectal cancer in women in Wales are only now reaching the levels seen in Sweden and Norway in the early 2000s.

Macmillan Cancer Support is calling for urgent action from the Welsh Government. Page urges the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to update the nation on the progress towards meeting the commitments made to improve cancer services and reduce waiting times. “We need assurance that tangible steps are being taken to ensure people living with cancer receive the timely care and support they need,” Page emphasised.

The latest NHS statistics have drawn criticism from the opposition. Commenting on the figures, Sam Rowlands MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, said: “These abysmal statistics show Labour’s performance on health continues to get worse here in Wales. The Labour Welsh Government have consistently missed their targets and this is not just the outgoing First Minister’s legacy, but the result of 25 years of Labour mismanaging the Welsh NHS. The Welsh Conservatives would enact a substantial workforce plan to empower primary care services and would fully resource the Welsh NHS with every penny received for health, as opposed to Labour’s decision to squander these funds on creating more politicians.”

In response, a Welsh Government spokesperson acknowledged the challenges but highlighted the efforts and progress being made: “Our incredibly hard-working NHS staff continue to provide life-saving and life-changing care in the face of incredible demand for its services. More than 14,250 people were told the good news that they do not have cancer in May – an incredible number. It is pleasing to see performance improved against the 62-day target too.

“The number of immediately life-threatening (red) 999 calls to the ambulance service made each day was the second highest on record, and the proportion of these calls was the highest recorded. This level of demand – a 28% increase compared to the same month in 2023 – means it is increasingly tough to meet the target response times, but even so, there was an improvement in June and almost eight out of 10 calls received a response within 15 minutes.

“Performance against the 12-hour target for emergency departments improved slightly in June and the majority of people were discharged, admitted or transferred in less than two hours and 50 minutes. The number of emergency admissions decreased by 5.6% this month – a further indication that work through our national Six Goals programme to care for people closer to home is having an impact.”

The spokesperson admitted the overall disappointment in NHS performance figures: “The waiting list has grown again and, after 24 months of consecutive falls, the number of people waiting more than two years for treatment has increased for the second month in a row. The Health Secretary has made it clear to health boards that she expects to see progress – and sustained progress – to reduce long waits and waiting times for treatments. She will be making it clear to the leadership of health boards today that the situation is not acceptable and must improve.”

In closing, the spokesperson highlighted the scale of the challenge: “There is still a way to go to reduce the backlog, which built up during the pandemic. But the NHS continues to deliver an enormous amount of activity for a population of 3 million people – since April 2022, more than 2.5 million patient pathways have been closed at an average of 103,000 a month.”

Key Facts:

  • In May 2024, more than 800 people in Wales waited over 62 days to start cancer treatment.
  • Performance improved slightly from the previous month but remains worse compared to the same period in three of the past four years.
  • 2023 was the worst year on record for cancer waiting times in Wales.
  • The national cancer waiting times target in Wales has never been met since its introduction.
  • For some cancers, such as urological and head and neck cancers, only around one-third of patients started treatment on time in May 2024.
  • Survival rates for colon and rectal cancer in women in Wales are just now reaching levels achieved by Sweden and Norway in the early 2000s.

Health

Nursing applications rise but concerns remain over long-term decline

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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.

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Health

Emergency care failing in Wales, warns damming report

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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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Health

Kilgetty dispensary to close temporarily due to staff sickness

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PATIENTS who rely on Kilgetty Dispensary for their medication are being urged to collect prescriptions before the facility temporarily shuts down due to a high level of staff sickness.

Saundersfoot Medical Centre, which operates the dispensary, has announced that the closure will take effect from Monday, February 17, 2025.

A spokesperson for the medical centre said: “We have taken the difficult decision to close the Kilgetty Dispensary temporarily from Monday, February 17, due to a high level of sickness among staff.”

Patients are being advised to collect their medication before 1:00pm on Friday, February 14, 2025, to avoid disruption. Any uncollected prescriptions will be transferred to Saundersfoot Surgery, where they will be available for collection between 8:00am and 1:00pm, Monday to Friday.

The medical centre has assured patients that updates will be provided as soon as possible regarding the reopening of the dispensary.

Residents who rely on Kilgetty Dispensary are encouraged to make alternative arrangements and ensure they have sufficient medication before the closure takes effect.

For further information, patients can contact Saundersfoot Medical Centre on 01834 815115.

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