Skip to main content

Unacceptable that patients are waiting longer in A&E





The Welsh Liberal Democrats have criticised the length of NHS Wales waiting times following the release of January’s A&E data showing waiting times to be the worst on record having risen yet again.

6,882 patients across NHS Wales waited more than 12 hours in A&E to be treated, transferred and discharged. This is 226 more people than in December. NHS Wales targets specify no-one should need wait that long.

83.5% of patients were waiting less than six months to start hospital treatment, substantially less than the 95% target. Whilst 5.5% of patients waited more than 36 weeks from the hospitals’ receipt of the referral letter.

Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, commented:

A&E waiting times are unacceptable. Every patient forced to wait in overcrowded hospital waiting rooms and corridors is a patient being let down by the very service built to support them.

We know pressures on the NHS are always greater in winter, but these new figures clearly show that the challenges facing our A&E departments go far beyond seasonal pressures.

Our hard-working NHS staff are doing all they can in exceptionally difficult circumstances, but it is unfair that many feel no choice but to work longer shifts and sacrifice their breaks to help care for their patients.

It is vital that the Welsh Government urgently gets to grips with A&E waiting times so we can improve patient safety, increase staff retention and give patients the quality treatment they deserve.

A&E , Welsh Government ,

Popular posts from this blog

Significant Gaps Remain in Welsh Government Building Safety Announcement

  The Welsh Liberal Democrats have welcomed progress announced today in the Welsh Government’s building safety announcement but have warned significant gaps remain. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS and Cardiff Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Rhys Taylor addressing building saftey campaigners.   The announcement given by Environment Minister Julie James MS confirmed that 9 property developers have now signed up to the Welsh Government’s “Developers Pact” agreeing in theory their responsibility to remediate buildings they constructed with safety defects.   The announcement follows a lengthy campaign by leaseholders in the five years since the Grenfell Tower Disaster.   However, three major developers are still yet to reply.   The Welsh Liberal Democrats have stated that due to the Welsh Government’s failure to work with the UK Government on the Building Safety Act, they are left with little to no options to deal with the property de...

Jane Dodds - Aberpergwm Coal Mine Expansion Must be Stopped

  he Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their opposition to the expansion of Aberpergwm Coal Mine in Neath Port Talbot Council. Addressing a protest in front of the Senedd Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds stated that if we are to stand any hope of tackling climate change before it’s too late, the coal must be left in the ground.   The protest in front of the Senedd in Cardiff saw multiple Welsh climate groups attend.   The expansion of Aberpergwm Coal Mine has been at the centre of a row between the UK and Welsh Governments, with the Welsh Government claiming it does not have the legal authority to block the mine’s expansion, while the UK Coal Authority has insisted that the Welsh Government could in fact stop the development.   The new license, which was approved by the Coal Authority in January will allow Aberpergwm Mine to extract another forty million tonnes of coal. The development could release up to 1.17 million tonnes of very strong g...

Mid Wales Growth Deal funding insulting

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader and MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Jane Dodds has called the UK Government’s £55m funding for the Mid Wales Growth Deal insulting.Mid Wales Growth Deal funding insulting Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns used his speech to Conservative Party Conference in Manchester to announce £55m of funding for the Mid Wales Growth Deal over 15 years. The UK Government are contributing £500m to the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal and £241m to the Swansea Bay City Deal. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MP commented: Alun Cairns’ announcement shows that, under this Conservative Government, Mid-Wales will never get the funding we truly need. The £55m promised is frankly insulting. Not only is it nowhere near enough, it is a fraction of the funding being provided for the Cardiff and Swansea City Deals. Our rural communities have been let down and forgotten about for far too long. What’s more, they will be some of the harde...