July 28, 2026 - 118 views
A North Wales Senedd Member has called for a health emergency to be declared after the latest NHS Wales performance figures revealed growing waiting lists and record-low emergency department performance.
Janet Finch-Saunders MS has expressed concern over the latest statistics, which show the number of patient pathways waiting to start treatment in Wales has increased by almost 9,700 to 689,721.
The figures also reveal that more than 97,500 patients have now been waiting more than a year for treatment, while the number waiting over two years has risen to more than 4,200.
Pressure on accident and emergency departments also continues to mount. Across Wales, only 63 per cent of patients attending emergency departments in June were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours – the worst performance since records began.
The latest data indicates that performance in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area remains below the Welsh average across several key measures. Waiting times for diagnostic tests, referral-to-treatment waiting lists and first outpatient appointments are all worse than the national average, while cancer treatment waiting times also continue to lag behind Wales as a whole. Performance for therapy waiting times is broadly in line with the Welsh average.
Janet Finch-Saunders, the Member of the Senedd for Bangor, Conwy and Môn, said she continues to hear from constituents facing lengthy waits for treatment.
"Every week, I am contacted by concerned residents about the delays they are facing in receiving treatment, in some cases for life-threatening conditions such as cancer," she said.
"Alongside this, the frequent reports of long A&E waits and corridor care continuing to take place are causing serious concern and placing enormous strain not only on patients and their families, but also on our hardworking doctors and nurses.
"Urgent action must be taken to end corridor care once and for all, and we must declare a health emergency. It is only by recognising the scale of this crisis that we can fully address its causes and deliver real change for our health service."
The latest figures come as NHS Wales continues to face significant demand across hospitals and community services. Health leaders have repeatedly warned that an ageing population, increasing numbers of patients with complex health conditions, workforce shortages and sustained pressure on emergency services continue to affect performance.
The Welsh Government has previously said reducing waiting times remains one of its top priorities and has invested additional funding to increase capacity, expand diagnostic services and improve access to planned care. However, ministers have acknowledged that recovery from the pandemic, combined with ongoing demand, means improvements will take time.
The latest statistics are likely to intensify political debate over the future of NHS services in Wales, with opposition parties continuing to press the Welsh Government to accelerate efforts to reduce waiting lists and improve emergency care, particularly in North Wales where Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board remains under sustained pressure.
