Welsh Gov Drops Waiting List, Cancer Times Rise
Get the Health newsletter
Daily health & science — research, biotech, public health, the studies worth knowing. Free.
- Welsh government reported patient pathways on waiting lists fell to 713,048 in January, a drop of nearly 28,000 from the previous month.
- Welsh government said the £120 million investment enabled health boards to deliver 187,000 extra outpatient appointments and 37,000 cataract surgeries.
- Welsh government warned that the number of patients waiting longer than target times for diagnostics and therapies rose to a record high since 2024.
- Welsh government noted cancer care's 62‑day target performance fell to 57%, 3.7 percentage points lower than the previous month.
- Mabon ap Gwynfor (Labour) highlighted that 5,000 patients have been waiting over two years and only 57% of cancer patients begin treatment within two months, calling it a failing record.
- James Evans (Reform UK) called the figures "appalling", blaming 27 years of Plaid and Labour failure for stalled progress on long waits and diagnosis.
- Peter Fox (Conservative) said the NHS is "broken" under Plaid‑backed Labour, citing worsening cancer waiting times and lack of sustained improvement.
Why it matters: Patients who secured outpatient appointments or cataract surgery benefit from the £120 million funding, while those awaiting diagnostics and cancer treatment face longer delays, undermining the NHS’s target of timely care and fueling political criticism of the current government’s performance for the health system.
Ask SkimNews
