Written question WQ100752

Reducing NHS waiting lists and improving timely access to care is one of the Welsh Government's top priorities.

We have announced an additional £145 million investment in NHS Wales, including £100 million specifically to support reductions in waiting times, £25 million to expand surgical and diagnostic capacity, and £20 million for essential estate improvements. This investment is being linked directly to delivery and is intended to accelerate reductions in the longest waits, increase planned care activity and reduce overall waiting list size.

It is disappointing that opposition parties sought to block this crucial investment during the vote on the supplementary budget, but we are progressing these plans with health boards regardless – because the people of Wales deserve action now on what is one of their chief concerns.

Alongside this investment, we have introduced a clinically led Planned Care Reset and Delivery Plan which focuses on increasing sustainable capacity, improving productivity, expanding diagnostics, strengthening referral management and ensuring patients who have waited longest are treated more quickly. Health Boards are expected to work collaboratively to maximise available capacity and deliver sustained improvements in performance.

The approach includes increasing surgical activity, including through dedicated surgical hubs and additional theatre capacity, improving access to diagnostic tests, and redesigning pathways so that patients receive the right advice, assessment and treatment at the earliest opportunity. Referrals are being reviewed earlier and follow-up arrangements modernised, helping to release clinical capacity for patients waiting for their first appointment.

We are also strengthening national oversight and accountability arrangements. Health Boards receiving additional funding are required to demonstrate delivery against agreed trajectories, show that activity is additional and contributing to reductions in waiting times, and provide evidence of productivity improvements and service transformation.

Through this combination of additional investment, increased capacity and service improvement, our objective is to eliminate two year waits by May and continue reducing the overall waiting list, while delivering sustainable improvements for patients across Wales.