£13.1m Welsh Government funding intended to reduce waiting times over 36 weeks by the end of March 2018, including in trauma and orthopaedics, has resulted in a reduction of just 3% over six months.
The number of patients waiting over 36 weeks for treatment in December 2017 stood at 4,078 – just 135 lower than 4,213 in August 2017.
Janet Finch-Saunders AM, who obtained the figures through a WAQ, said:
“It is hugely disappointing that the Welsh Government has been unable to better direct these funds to achieve much needed progress in terms of patient outcomes.
“Missed waiting time targets in trauma and orthopaedics account for 39% of all patients waiting over 36 weeks for treatment, and I expect the Welsh Government to produce much greater improvements for March.
“Each of these figures represents an individual in desperate need of treatment – often experiencing debilitating daily pain which can have severe knock on effects for their overall wellbeing and general enjoyment of life.”
ENDS
Notes
Statistics taken from StatsWales: https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Health-and-Social-Care/NHS-Hospital-Waiting-Times/Referral-to-Treatment/patientpathwayswaitingtostarttreatment-by-month-groupedweeks
- Of those patients in Wales waiting more than 36 weeks for treatment (in any areas), 47% are within BCUHB.
- For trauma and orthopaedics, this figure is 44%.
- There are 26 patients waiting over 105 weeks for trauma and orthopaedics within BCUHB – of a total of 36 patients waiting this long for treatment under the Health Board. These 26 account for 56% of the Wales total for patients waiting this long for such treatment.
FOR ANSWER BY
THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR
HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
ON 28 FEBRUARY 2018
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm how he will ensure reduced waiting times in trauma and orthopaedics within Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board by next month, and confirm targets for this period? WAQ76016
Vaughan Gething: The Welsh Government gave Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board an additional £13.1 million of funding in August 2017 to help reduce waiting times over 36 weeks by the end of March 2018, including orthopaedics. The health board has been using this money to run additional sessions locally and outsource patients to alternative providers, both NHS in England and the Independent sector. This funding is already having an impact, with the number waiting over 36 weeks for orthopaedics falling from 4,213 at the end of August to 4,078 at the end of December. I expect to see further reductions by the end of March 2018 as part of the overall improvement in RTT waiting times in the health board.
