NHS Wales ready checklist and longest waits down

The newest month-to-month fall within the ready checklist, a 23,400 drop from October to November, is the largest month-to-month discount on report. It can be the sixth consecutive month the ready checklist has been minimize.

People ready over 2 years fell to only underneath 6,900, down greater than 90% from the height. Provisional December information counsel additional reductions within the general ready checklist, with 2 12 months waits dropping to round 5,300.

The variety of folks ready over a 12 months for his or her first outpatient appointment is at its lowest since October 2020.

Those ready greater than 36 weeks for remedy is the bottom determine since April 2021.

Meanwhile, November noticed simply over 136,600 pathways closed, the second highest determine on report.

All well being boards besides Betsi Cadwaladr have both no pathways ready longer than 2 years or lower than 1%. Powys presently has lower than 1% of pathways ready longer than one 12 months whereas Swansea Bay and Powys haven’t any 1 12 months waits for a primary outpatient appointment.

The Welsh Government introduced £120 million funding in June 2025 to assist folks be seen faster. This has already offered 127,000 extra appointments. It additionally aimed to see an additional 20,000 cataract operations delivered by March 2026 and this objective is on monitor to be reached.

December noticed the full time it takes for ambulances crews to switch sufferers to emergency departments practically halved in comparison with the earlier 12 months, and hour‑plus delays dropped by 43% for a similar interval.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles will go to Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend right this moment to see how substantial funding has upgraded theatres on the hospital.

On the newest statistics, the Health Secretary mentioned: 

I’m happy the ready checklist has fallen and the longest waits are coming down, that is what folks need to see.

November noticed the most important month-to-month drop within the ready checklist ever recorded, down 23,400 from October. This marks six consecutive months of reductions.

Provisional information for December point out additional vital cuts within the ready checklist and longest waits and it’s essential we proceed to see enhancements over the approaching months.

The Welsh Government has offered substantial funding to assist folks be seen sooner with 127,000 further appointments already delivered, together with on weekends.

There had been additionally essential reductions in ambulance handover delays in December in comparison with the identical month in 2024, which means individuals are spending much less time in an ambulance earlier than being transferred to a hospital’s emergency division.

 I need to thank NHS employees for all they proceed to do to make sure individuals are seen as shortly as attainable and obtain the very best care.