'Disappointment' as longest NHS waiting times go up in Wales

WALES' health minister has admitted it is “disappointing” that the number of longest NHS waits has gone up, a month after the Welsh Government said it was happy to have met a target set by the First Minister.

- RUTH MOSALSKI

Last year, Eluned Morgan said by this spring, she wanted the number of waits to be “around” 8,000.

The corresponding figures came out in May, and showed the number of people waiting for more than two years from referral to treatment had been narrowly missed.

When the First Minister made her comments, the figure was around 24,000.

In January, it was 21,087, while in February it was 15,505, before it dropped to 8,389 - the lowest level since April 2021.

This month, however, it has risen again, to 9,625, something health minister Jeremy Miles has said is “disappointing”.

The vast majority (6,106) are in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area. Cardiff and Vale had 1,863 and Cwm Taf 1,168. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board had fewer than 300. This release of data includes the Easter holiday period.

Mr Miles said: “It is disappointing to see the increase in long waits in April after all the progress health boards have made over the last few months.

“However, this is an annual trend seen in April in Wales and also the other UK nations”.