Health

Record NHS Wales waiting lists worsen, with one in five waiting for treatment

Published

2 years ago

August 23, 2024

HOSPITAL waiting lists in Wales hit another record high, with nearly one in five people waiting for treatment, according to latest statistics.

Official figures for June show 615,341 patients were waiting for 791,511 treatments to take place – both the highest numbers on record.

The estimated number of people waiting for treatment is up by 12% since March 2022.

So-called patient pathways – which account for patients waiting for more than one treatment – have risen by more than 80% since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The number of waits of more than a year was about 160,000 in July and at least two years was 23,400 – 3.5% and 4.3% increases on the previous month, respectively.

Performance in A&E fared a little better but waits remain relatively long historically and services are still some way short of the target of seeing 95% of patients in four hours.

In July, 69.3% of patients in A&Es spent less than four hours in emergency departments from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge – a 0.4% improvement over the month.

Swansea Bay health board saw the biggest proportion spending less than four hours in A&E at 79.1%, with Cardiff and Vale the lowest at 61.7%.

In the latest data, the median average waiting time was two hours, 39 minutes – a six-minute improvement on the previous month.

The Welsh Government also has a target of no patient waiting more than 12 hours but over 10,100 patients waited at least 12 hours, according to the July figures.

Betsi Cadwaldr (3,506) topped the table for 12-hour waits, while Cardiff and Vale was the best performing on this benchmark as well (895).

In July, 48% of life-threatening red calls received a response within eight minutes against a target of 65% – representing a 1.7% increase on the previous month.

Red-call response times have fallen from a peak of 80% in 2017.

However, in that time, there has been a substantial increase in calls, with about 58,000 in the past 12 months – more than twice the number in 2017 (22,000).

In recent years, there has also been a significant problem with handover delays at hospitals, with 20,000 hours lost in July alone.

In total, nearly 35,800 red, amber and green calls were made to the ambulance service in July, an average of 1,154 calls a day.

Response times for red calls ranged between four minutes, 30 seconds and six minutes for red calls in the four years before the pandemic.

But the median average response time in July was eight minutes, 18 seconds.

The Welsh Government has a target of 75% of patient pathways starting treatment within 62 days of cancer first being suspected, with a new aim of 80% by 2026.

But, in June, only 56.7% of patient pathways started their first definitive treatment within 62 days though this was an increase of 1.3% on May and 1.9% annually.

Cardiff and Vale health board had the best performance at 64% while the lowest was Cwm Taf Morgannwg’s 52%.

Pre-pandemic in December 2020, nearly 67% of patients in Wales were seen within 62 days but no health board has hit the 75% target since July 2020.

Judi Rhys, chief executive of Tenovus Cancer Care, said: “The cancer waiting times figures for June show that we are still not seeing the progress that is so desperately needed.

“As we reach the halfway point of the reporting year, it’s clear that despite limited improvement, we remain far from achieving the suspected cancer pathway target.

“Alarmingly, our current position is no better than this time last year or even the year before.”

Mark Drakeford, who served as health minister between 2013 and 2016, returned to the role on an interim basis this month, succeeding Wales’ new First Minister Eluned Morgan.

In a press statement responding to the statistics, Mr Drakeford said: “The number of immediately life-threatening red 999 calls to the ambulance service made each day was the fourth highest on record in July.

“And attendances at emergency departments continue to be above the long-term average.

“Performance against the four-hour A&E target improved, and the average time people spent in departments before being discharged, admitted to hospital or transferred also fell in July.

“There was an improvement in ambulance response times and we have also seen an improvement in hospital discharge delay figures in July compared to June.

“However, it is disappointing that the number of people waiting more than two years for treatment has increased and there’s been further growth in the overall waiting list – just as there has been in other parts of the UK.”

Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, said: “These woeful statistics show the NHS is in crisis as waits have increased to new records for five months in a row.

“The Labour Welsh Government has failed yet again to bear down on these excessive lists.

“Since Eluned Morgan was Labour’s health minister, how can she be trusted to turn this situation around as First Minister?

“The Conservatives believe it is past due for Labour to spend every penny they receive for health on the Welsh NHS, as opposed to prioritising the creation of 36 more politicians.”

Mabon ap Gwynfor, his Plaid Cymru counterpart, said: “There is a disappointing inevitability of failing to get to grips with NHS waiting times month after month, and this set of results published today is no different, with waiting times at their highest ever.

“While Labour in Wales has been too focused on internal fighting, the new First Minister has left a legacy of at least 615,300 individual patients on treatment waiting lists. She promised to eliminate waiting lists but failed. A damning record for the new First Minister of Wales.

“A radical rethink in approach is needed.”

Health

Deputy Minister sets out priorities for social care, mental and women’s health

Published

24 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Plans include same-day mental health support, a National Care Service for Wales and action on women’s health

PLANS to improve access to social care, provide same-day mental health support and strengthen women’s health services have been outlined by the Welsh Government.

Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health Delyth Jewell said she wanted to give greater prominence to areas which she believes have not received the attention they deserve.

Her priorities include progressing plans for a National Care Service for Wales, with the ambition of delivering social care that is free at the point of need.

The Deputy Minister also said safeguarding arrangements would be strengthened to better protect children and adults at risk.

Mental health services are set to move towards a model of open-access, same-day support, with 21 demonstrator sites already underway and further rollout planned.

The Welsh Government said future action on dementia will also be set out in a new Dementia Strategy for Wales, focusing on brain health, earlier diagnosis and improved support.

A Women’s Health Summit will also be held later this month, bringing together women with lived experience and clinicians.

The summit will focus on tackling the normalisation of pain, with work already underway to improve endometriosis and abortion services, as well as maternity safety and support for families who experience the loss of a baby.

Delyth Jewell said: “I want to help shine a light onto areas that haven’t had the focus they are due.

“On mental health, women’s health, and yes, the social care system that for too long has been undervalued.

“These areas deserve more attention and prominence. They deserve a voice in the heart of government, and I promise I will give that to them.”

Community

Hywel Dda reaffirms commitment to Armed Forces community

Published

2 days ago

July 7, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HYWEL DDA UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD has reaffirmed its commitment to the Armed Forces community by re-signing the Armed Forces Covenant.

The covenant was signed at the Wales National Armed Forces Day 2026 event, held at Pembrey Country Park on Saturday, June 27.

It was signed on behalf of the health board by Armed Forces Champion and Independent Board Member Michael Imperato, alongside Lisa Gostling, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Workforce and Organisational Development.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a national promise to ensure that members of the Armed Forces community are treated fairly. It supports serving personnel, veterans, service leavers and their families, with a veteran defined as anyone who has served for at least one day.

By re-signing the covenant, Hywel Dda says it is continuing its role as an Armed Forces friendly employer and healthcare provider across west Wales.

This includes supporting the recruitment and employment of veterans, recognising military skills, providing additional support for reservists, offering flexible working for service families, working with partner organisations, supporting cadet groups and Armed Forces charities, and improving access to healthcare for veterans.

Anyone currently serving, or who has previously served in the Armed Forces, can find out more about the support available through Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Armed Forces Covenant pages.

Staff who are part of the Armed Forces community can also access support through the health board’s Armed Forces Staff Network by contacting [email protected].

Health

Hywel Dda rolls out new tool to help patients stay independent in hospital

Published

3 days ago

July 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Early warning system aims to prevent hospital-related decline and support faster recovery

HYWEL DDA University Health Board is among the first in Wales to introduce a new approach to spotting and preventing hospital-related decline in patients.

The Deconditioning Early Warning Indicator, known as DEWI, helps staff identify early signs that a patient may be losing strength, mobility or confidence during a hospital stay.

The aim is to make sure patients remain as active and independent as possible while receiving care, helping them return home at the same level of independence they had before admission, or even before they became unwell.

Deconditioning can develop quickly, even during a short stay in hospital, and can affect a patient’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

The DEWI tool uses a structured set of indicators to build a picture of each patient’s abilities and to highlight any changes at an early stage. This allows staff to put timely support in place, including help with movement, nutrition, hydration and confidence.

Developed by NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, the tool has been tested across a number of health boards and was formally launched in November 2025. It is now being rolled out across Hywel Dda hospital sites.

More than 650 patients have already been supported using the DEWI tool during their hospital stay, with early indications showing positive trends in maintaining or improving function during admission.

Sharon Daniel, Executive Director of Nursing, Quality and Patient Experience, said: “We recognise that deconditioning can cause significant harm to our patients, often developing quickly and impacting independence and recovery during a hospital stay.

“It is therefore highly encouraging to see the Health Board leading the way in embedding the DEWI tool, alongside the development of a complementary Action Bundle which helps patients to stay active and independent.”

Across Hywel Dda, ward teams are now building the tool into everyday care. This includes the use of visual information boards and activities designed to encourage patients to remain active, engaged and independent.

Estelle Williams, Sister on the Acute Frailty Unit at Withybush General Hospital, said the tool was already helping staff focus on practical steps.

She said: “From a ward perspective, the DEWI tool has been really useful in helping our staff think about deconditioning as part of everyday care.

“It keeps things simple and focuses on practical actions we can take, like supporting patients to stay mobile, encouraging independence and paying attention to nutrition and hydration.

“It also fits nicely alongside the initiatives we already have in place, including the use of fortified milkshakes, bringing everything together in a more joined-up way.”

James Severs, Executive Director of Allied Health Professions and Health Science, said preventing deconditioning was central to improving outcomes for patients.

He said: “Preventing deconditioning is fundamental to improving patient outcomes and reducing the long-term impact of illness.

“This work highlights the vital role all ward staff have in keeping people active, supporting recovery and maintaining independence throughout their hospital stay.

“By identifying risks early and intervening promptly, we are helping patients recover faster and return home with greater confidence.”

The Health Board said future phases will focus on further developing the DEWI tool and embedding it as part of standard care before, during and after hospital admission.

Caption: The Deconditioning Team at Withybush General Hospital. From left: Annie, Occupational Therapy Technician; Ruth and Rosie, nurses; Lauren, Health Care Assistant; Estelle, Sister; and Violet from Hotel Services.