Written question WQ100254

Reducing waiting times for gynaecology services, including hysterectomies, remains a priority for the Welsh Government. Working closely with the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, who has responsibility for Women's Health, we are taking action through both the Women's Health Plan and our wider planned care recovery programme to improve timely access to diagnosis, treatment and surgery for women across Wales.

As part of this work, we have recently announced an additional £145 million investment in NHS Wales. This includes £100 million to support reductions in waiting times, £25 million for surgical and diagnostic capacity, and £20 million for essential estate improvements. Health Boards are expected to use this investment to increase activity, reduce long waits and improve access to treatment across a range of specialties, including gynaecology services.

The planned care recovery approach places a strong emphasis on increasing sustainable surgical capacity, improving productivity, expanding diagnostic services and ensuring that patients who have waited longest are treated more quickly. Health Boards are also expected to improve the management of referral pathways and make the best use of available theatre capacity to maximise the number of patients receiving treatment.

In addition, the Women's Health Plan is helping to improve how women access specialist care, ensuring that conditions affecting women's health receive greater focus and that services are designed around women's needs throughout their healthcare journey.

While waiting times vary across Wales and between individual providers, I expect all Health Boards to use the additional investment and the opportunities provided through the planned care recovery programme to deliver sustained improvements in access to gynaecology services, including hysterectomy procedures, and to reduce the number of women waiting for treatment.