£28m to help cut long NHS waiting times across Wales

The Welsh Government has announced a £28 million investment aimed at reducing some of the longest waiting times within the NHS.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles announced the funding today, Thursday, 24 October 2024, emphasising the government’s commitment to enhancing access to care, especially for high-demand treatments

The new funding will focus on specialties experiencing substantial delays, including orthopaedics, ophthalmology, general surgery, and gynaecology.

As part of the initiative, the NHS will expand evening and weekend appointments, enabling more patients to receive treatment sooner.

Miles stressed the urgency of reducing waiting times, saying, “Reducing waiting times is a national priority – for people across Wales, for us, and the NHS.”

He highlighted that this investment is an addition to the annual recovery money, aimed at supporting the NHS in addressing the backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiative will also involve regional collaboration to boost capacity in critical areas.

Health boards will prioritize reducing the number of patients waiting more than two years for treatment and aim to improve waiting times for diagnostic tests, ensuring that more patients receive crucial assessments within eight weeks.

One of the targeted plans involves transforming the Llanwenarth Suite at Nevill Hall Hospital into a regional cataract centre, a key component in tackling ophthalmology backlogs.

Nicola Prygodzicz, CEO of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, welcomed the funding, stating, “We are incredibly grateful to the Welsh Government for this significant investment, which will make a real difference in reducing waiting times for patients across Gwent.”

She added that the resources would be used to address delays in high-demand areas like orthopaedics and ophthalmology, and emphasised the board’s dedication to providing timely care.

The Welsh NHS, still dealing with the lingering effects of the pandemic, will use the additional funds to fast-track patients waiting for planned care, offering them the much-needed relief from prolonged waiting times.