New data shows NHS waiting lists at record high

RESPONDING to newly released data on NHS Wales waiting times, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Health and Social Care, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said:

“Month after month, NHS waiting times are published with disappointing inevitability, and at the end of 2023 we learn that waiting lists have reached a record high. Waiting times for cancer treatment is the second highest on record, and ambulance response times remain some way behind target.

“This comes a year and a half after the Labour Government announced its programme to cut waiting lists in Wales, but the evidence would suggest their plans have dismally failed.

“Plaid Cymru has continuously called for a prevention revolution to get to grips with the chronic issues plaguing our NHS and to invest in the workforce, to create a more resilient and robust health and care service.

“Monthly increases in the number of people on NHS waiting lists clearly shows that simply throwing money at the system while also cutting funding for preventative services won’t tackle the root causes of the huge challenges the service faces. We need a clear strategy from Welsh Government that includes a more targeted approach to tackle waiting times by prioritising those most in need, to better fund preventative health measures, and to invest in the workforce by providing them with the working conditions and contracts they deserve.”