Worrying rise in 12 hour A and E waits
Welsh Conservatives have criticised a significant increase in the number of people waiting more than 12 hours in A and E departments in Wales.
The figure – published today – rose by 63 per cent from 1,168 in August to 1,946 in September.
The Labour government’s four hour target – last met in 2009 – was missed again last month. In total, just 84 per cent of A and E attendees were seen within four hours (14,000 people waited longer) against a target of 95 per cent.
Betsi Cadwaladr UHB, which is currently in special measures, saw performance against the four hour target deteriorate from 82.5 per cent in August to 80 per cent in September.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, Darren Millar AM, said:
“Six years of a missed A and E target is a shameful national scandal.
“Enough is enough. Patients deserve better and Labour ministers must bring forward a plan for the winter months, when delays could lengthen further and the vulnerable will be hit hardest.
“It’s particularly worrying to see a deterioration in performance at a health board currently in special measures.
“That raises serious questions over whether improvements can be achieved at Betsi and communities will rightly call for answers.
“A significant increase in the number of people waiting more than 12 hours is completely unacceptable.
“Hardworking frontline staff are still being hit by Labour’s record-breaking NHS budget cuts and the enormous strain on resources that have resulted from them.
“The Welsh NHS would have received one billion more to invest in services and performance improvement over the past 5 years had it been run by the Welsh Conservatives.”
