NHS waiting lists in Wales reach another record high

The number of patients on NHS waiting lists in Wales have reached their highest level on record.

New figures released today show that in September the number of open patient pathways increased from just under 760,300 to just over 761,100.

It is the seventh consecutive month that waiting lists have grown.

This is despite a Welsh Government target to reduce the longest waiting times for outpatient appointments.

Patient pathways differ from the number of patients waiting to start treatment. This is because some patients may be on more than one list.

Despite this the number of individual patients on treatment waiting lists rose to 594,000 in September, the highest figure on record.

The number of patient pathways waiting less than 26 weeks decreased to 58 per cent in September whilst the number of pathways waiting longer than 36 weeks decreased in September, to just over 229,150.

About 26,400 pathways were waiting more than two years.

Today’s figures reveal the pressure facing the NHS as it heads into what is typically seen as one of its most challenging times of year.

In October the Welsh Ambulance Service received 4,918 category red (immediately life-threatening) calls –  the second highest on record.

The increased demand in immediately life-threatening calls coincided with the worst response times since December 2022.

47.2 per cent of emergency responses to immediately life threatening (red) calls arrived within eight minutes.

In October there was an average of 3,009 daily attendances to emergency departments, a decrease compared to the previous month.

At the Wrexham Maelor Hospital Emergency Department 64.1 per cent of patients were seen within four hours.

Performance against the four hour target remained the same as in September.

78.5 per cent of attendees at the Emergency Department were seen within eight hours and 87 per cent within 12 hours.

Commenting on today’s figures Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, Russell George MS said: “Waits for treatment and diagnostic services are the very worst on record, cancer waits are the second worst on record.

“These shameful statistics from our Labour-run Welsh NHS are completely unacceptable.

“These are real people languishing on these lists, often in pain. Wales deserves better.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said despite the growth in waiting lists, the longest waits are continuing to fall.

The spokesperson said: “The pressure on our NHS services has continued to grow as we enter the toughest time of the year.

“Despite the fact that waiting lists have grown overall, it is encouraging to see that the longest waits are continuing to fall.

“The majority of people waiting on an individual waiting list (patient pathway) are waiting less than 26 weeks.

“Although the increase in the total waiting list this month is very small, it is disappointing to see them at their highest levels on record – that is due to the continued number of people joining the waiting lists, with the highest annual number of new referrals on record in the latest 12 months.

“Health boards are working hard to tackle the longest waits but the most urgent cases must always be seen first.

“October also saw the second highest proportion of immediately life threatening calls (red ambulance calls) reported on record, and the second highest average number of daily red calls.

“This year there are 119 more ambulance staff working to ease the pressure compared to last year.

“We expect health boards to improve ambulance patient handover performance to free up ambulance capacity as a priority, but often there is a hold up at the back of the hospital with people who have already been treated unable to leave because of the fragility of the community care services.

“The Welsh Government is working hand in glove with local councils to try and fix this issue.

“We continue to support health boards to achieve the new targets for reducing the longest waits set by the Health Minister, amid extreme budget pressures.”