Discover the current NHS treatment wait times in every region of Wales
Cardiff: Waiting lists in Wales are hitting record highs lately. As of October, there are about 620,300 patients waiting for treatment, which is just staggering.
But it’s not just the numbers that are concerning; it’s the wait times. Many folks are stuck waiting over two years for treatment. There was a goal to clear these long waits by March 2023, but that didn’t happen. As of October, around 24,200 patients are still in limbo.
Interestingly, some specialties were left out of that target because they’re particularly tough to manage. If you’re waiting for dermatology, general surgery, or any of the other challenging areas, brace yourself for a long wait.
Earlier this fall, the Welsh Government allocated extra funds to help health boards tackle these lengthy waits. They’re using the money to create more weekend and evening appointments and even sending some patients to private clinics for quicker treatment.
To give you a clearer picture, we looked at the most recent data from October 2024. This data shows how long patients have been waiting from the moment they were referred until they actually get treated.
In October, Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB had the longest waits, with 1,117 patient pathways per 100,000 population waiting over 36 weeks. On the flip side, Swansea Bay UHB managed to close 4,081 pathways in under 26 weeks, which is pretty impressive.
Overall, there’s not a huge difference in wait times across Wales for those waiting between 26 and 36 weeks. It’s a tough situation, and many are hoping for improvements soon.
