Reducing the NHS waiting list backlog

The Welsh Government published its programme for transforming and modernising planned care and reducing waiting lists in Wales in April 2022.

Backlogs in routine care have inevitably built up during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in long waits for diagnostics and treatment.

The Welsh Government says it is determined to make the best possible use of additional investment to increase capacity, accelerate progress and build a health and social care system for the long term.

The Welsh Government says addressing backlogs in routine care cannot happen overnight. It has set out its commitment to reducing waiting lists through five key ambitions. Our article looks at what the Welsh Government’s ambitions are and current performance against them.

Are the Welsh Government going to reach their ambitions?

Data on NHS waiting times are published every month on StatsWales. The data show the number of patient pathways rather than the number of patients and one patient can be on several pathways. Each pathway covers the time from referral by a GP or other medical practitioner to hospital for treatment in the NHS in Wales. This includes time spent waiting for hospital appointments, tests, scans or other procedures that may be needed before treatment.

The data shows the number of patient pathways waiting longer than 53 weeks rather than longer than one year and the number of people waiting longer than 105 weeks rather than longer than two years. The graphs below show data from January 2020 to the latest available.

Click on the boxes to see other ambitions Ambition 1: No one waiting longer than a year for their first outpatient appointment by the end of 2022 In March 2024, 61,100 patient pathways were waiting over 53 weeks (more than a year) for their first out-patient appointment. Source: StatsWales, Patient pathways waiting to start treatment by month, grouped weeks and stage of pathway Ambition 2: Eliminate the number of people waiting longer than two years in most specialties by March 2023 In March 2024, 5,394 patient pathways were waiting over 105 weeks (more than two years) for trauma and orthopaedic treatments, 2,883 for ear, nose and throat treatments and 2,877 for ophthalmology. Source: StatsWales, Patient pathways waiting to start treatment by month, grouped weeks and treatment function, January 2021 onwards Ambition 3: Eliminate the number of people waiting longer than one year in most specialties by Spring 2025 In March 2024, 29,061 patient pathways were waiting over 53 weeks (more than a year) for trauma and orthopaedic treatment, 28,547 for ophthalmology and 18,289 for general surgery treatments. Source: StatsWales, Patient pathways waiting to start treatment by month, grouped weeks and treatment function, January 2021 onwards Ambition 4: Increase the speed of diagnostic testing and reporting to eight weeks and 14 weeks for therapy interventions by Spring 2024 In March 2024, 39,905 patient pathways were waiting 8 weeks or more for diagnostic services. A further 13,893 patient pathways were waiting over 14 weeks for therapy services. Source: StatsWales, Diagnostic and therapy services waiting times by month Ambition 5: Cancer diagnosis and treatment to be undertaken within 62 days for 80% of people by 2026 In Mar 2024, 60.5% of people who received a cancer diagnosis started their first definitive treatment within 62 days from the first point cancer was suspected. Source: StatsWales, Suspected cancer pathway (closed pathways): The number of pathways where the patient started their first definitive treatment and those informed they do not have cancer by local health board, tumour site, age group, sex, measure and month

Further information on the current waiting times backlog and why tackling it is one of the biggest challenges for the Welsh NHS can be found in our article ‘Access delayed: the waiting times backlog in NHS Wales’.

Article by Sarah Hatherley, Helen Jones and Joe Wilkes, Senedd Research, Welsh Parliament