Audit report finds progress on NHS waiting times but says more still needs to be done

There has been considerable progress in reducing long NHS waiting times in Wales, but there are still too many variations between regions, with waiting times much longer in the south than in the north. These are the findings of a new Assembly Audit Committee report on NHS waiting times published today (Wednesday December 13). This is a follow-up to a highly critical report published by the Committee in May 2005 which said waiting times were far too long. The Committee has now examined whether the NHS in Wales is on track to deliver ongoing sustainable reductions in waiting times. The new report  concludes  that there has been considerable progress in reducing long waits and addressing their causes, but further action is needed to mange known risks if reduced waiting times are delivered and sustained. The biggest problem facing the NHS in meeting future waiting time targets is the unacceptably long time some patients have to wait for diagnostic and therapy services, such as speech and language therapy. The report recommends that local health communities should have to demonstrate in their service delivery plans how they will tackle this problem. The number of patients cancelling their operations is also still a concern. The report recommends that the Welsh Assembly Government should carry out a comprehensive analysis of why some patients cancel their operations, and then take measures to prevent cancellations. Janet Davies AM, Chair of Audit Committee, said: “In May 2005 the Committee made a number of recommendations to reduce the unacceptably high waiting times in the NHS, and we are pleased with the progress made in this area, particularly the fact that waiting times of over 12 months for planned treatment have now been virtually eliminated. However, more needs to be done to eradicate regional variations in waiting times and the length of time some patients still have wait for diagnosis and therapy.”