**Hospital Waiting Times Surge Again in Wales, Sparking Concern Over Progress**
The most recent NHS performance figures for Wales have revealed a renewed increase in hospital waiting times, prompting alarm amongst government officials and patients alike. Only weeks after Welsh ministers hailed prior progress on this key issue, the number of people waiting the longest times for treatment has surged once more – leading the newly appointed health minister to describe the data as “disappointing.”
Wales has been battling with unacceptably long treatment waits within its NHS system for several years, with consecutive governments placing emphasis on bringing figures down. Last year, First Minister Eluned Morgan set a bold benchmark, aiming to bring the number of people waiting over two years for elective care to approximately 8,000 by spring 2025. While recent data in May suggested that Wales had come tantalisingly close to this goal, with a reported 8,389 such waits – the lowest since April 2021 – celebrations have proven short-lived.
Newly released figures show that the number of extremely long NHS waits has now crept back up to 9,625 patients. The increase has cast a shadow over what had been seen as important momentum in addressing chronic delays across the nation’s health service. For context, when the First Minister first set out her ambitions, some 24,000 individuals were enduring waits beyond two years. A moderate decline was observed at the start of 2025, falling from 21,087 in January to 15,505 in February, before May’s encouraging dip. Yet, with June’s figures now reversing that trend, scrutiny has intensified.
Health minister Jeremy Miles, responding to the latest numbers, acknowledged the setback but offered perspective by pointing out that spikes in April are broadly consistent with trends seen not just in Wales but across UK health systems. Mr Miles noted: “It is disappointing to see the increase in long waits in April after the progress health boards have made… However, this is an annual trend seen in April in Wales and other UK nations.”
A closer examination of the numbers indicates significant variation across Wales’ regional health boards. The lion’s share of the longest waits remain within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in north Wales, which recorded 6,106 patients waiting more than two years. In contrast, Swansea Bay and Powys reported no such delays, while Hywel Dda and Aneurin Bevan each listed under 300 affected patient pathways. Other boards such as Cardiff and Vale, and Cwm Taf, reported 1,863 and 1,168 people exceeding the two-year mark, respectively.
When questioned about the continued challenges facing patients in north Wales, where waits are longest, Mr Miles pointed to the steep starting figures the region has faced, while highlighting that there have been “significant reductions” over recent months. He referenced October 2024’s peak of 10,177 two-year waits in Betsi Cadwaladr, which dropped to 5,747 by March before climbing again this month. The health minister reassured the public that specific intervention measures and additional support have been put in place to accelerate improvements in these hard-hit areas.
Public holidays such as Easter, which fell during the period covered by this dataset, contribute to seasonal spikes in hospital waiting times. Factors such as staff leave and reduced availability of patients for surgery or procedures have a predictable impact on NHS performance. Mr Miles underscored the government’s intention to ensure more consistent delivery of services throughout the year to reduce these fluctuations.
Despite this temporary setback, the Welsh Government is expressing optimism for the coming months, bolstered by the announcement of £120 million in new funding aimed at addressing some of the system’s persistent bottlenecks. This financial boost is expected to contribute towards achieving three flagged priorities: shrinking the overall waiting list by 200,000, eradicating all two-year waits, and restoring diagnostic waits to below eight weeks by March 2026. Mr Miles said, “This new funding will mean more and faster appointments, tests and treatments over the next 12 months.”
While elective care waits are under renewed scrutiny, Wales’ urgent and emergency services are also experiencing record demand. May was the busiest month on record for the Welsh Ambulance Service, with a marked rise in immediately life-threatening cases. Meanwhile, the average wait for admission, transfer, or discharge in emergency departments was recorded at two hours and 46 minutes.
The Welsh Government has made it clear that continued public support is vital to help reduce pressure on the NHS, urging patients to keep appointments and be ready for treatment wherever possible.
As Wales faces ongoing challenges in reducing waiting times for planned care, government officials and medical leaders have reiterated their commitment to delivering on ambitious targets to ensure no patient is left waiting more than two years for necessary treatment before the end of the Senedd term. Whether the latest funding and renewed focus can reverse the recent increase remains a key question as health boards endeavour to navigate the year ahead.