NHS waiting times hit lowest level in Wales

May 1 2008 by Madeleine Brindley, South Wales Echo

WAITING times have fallen to their lowest level ever after the NHS met key government targets.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Health Minister Edwina Hart yesterday praised NHS staff for their hard work.

Official figures for the end of March – the deadline for the 22-week waiting time target – reveal no patients were waiting longer than that to see a consultant.

And only five patients, who have since received their operations, were waiting more than 22 weeks for treatment.

But the NHS faces a challenging 12 months ahead as the Assembly Government has said waiting times must fall further.

By March 2009 no patients should be waiting more than 10 weeks for a first appointment to see a consultant, followed by a maximum of 14 weeks to receive treatment.

Mr Morgan said: “Thanks to the Welsh Assembly Government’s significant extra investment in more staff and new buildings and equipment, we have seen such dramatic falls in waiting times in recent years.

“I would also like to thank the NHS staff – whether that be frontline clinicians or administrative support staff – without whom this would not have been possible.”

But Jonathan Morgan, the Welsh Conservatives’ shadow health minister and AM for Cardiff North, said: “I am concerned that the Labour-Plaid government’s ideological obsession with getting rid of the private sector in the NHS will also impact on the ability to meet these targets.

“The private sector has been instrumental in helping bring down waiting times.”