Hospital waiting lists in Wales see record drop

Hospital waiting lists in Wales have seen a record drop as the latest figures indicate the total number of patients waiting has now fallen for eight months in a row.

There were 713,048 patient pathways - the steps from referral to treatment - on waiting lists in January, nearly 28,000 fewer than the previous month.

The figures suggest a £120 million investment by Welsh government to specifically target the problem is paying off.

But by some measures waiting time are actually up - the number of patients waiting longer than the target times for both diagnostics and therapies has risen to the highest on record since 2024.

Likewise, the performance against the 62-day target in cancer care has dropped to 57% - 3.7 percentage points lower than the previous month and moving away from the goal of 75%.

But in that same month, there was a rise in the number of patients referred with suspected cancer and in those being told they did not have cancer.

Both figures give an insight into the volume of people being seen by the service for the first time.

The Welsh government said the extra 187,000 outpatient appointments that health boards had delivered, and 37,000 cataract operations to date, were because of the additional funding this year.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said: "This set of record-breaking figures show just how hard the NHS is working.

"Health boards are delivering more outpatient appointments, especially in the evenings and at weekends, and more operations, including cataract surgery - new ways of working to make sure people are seen and treated faster.

"This is real, tangible progress for people in Wales."

Labour's 'failing record'

Plaid Cymru health and social care spokesman Mabon ap Gwynfor said more than half a million in Wales were on an NHS waiting list.

"With 5,000 still waiting over two years, despite Labour's previous promises to remove two-year waits altogether.

"This, alongside the fact that only 57% of cancer patients begin treatment within two months, reflects Labour's failing record when it comes to the NHS."

Reform UK's James Evans called the latest figures "appalling", blaming 27 years of "of Plaid and Labour failure".

"Progress has completely stalled for the longest treatment waits and the waiting list for diagnosis is the highest we've seen for over two years," he said.

Conservative health spokesman Peter Fox said it was "clear" the NHS was "broken" under Plaid-backed Labour governments.

"Cancer waiting times are worsening, with fewer patients starting treatment on time and no sign of sustained improvement.

"Labour and Plaid are failing those in need of urgent and life-saving care."