Public let down by A&E waits

THE latest waiting time figures for A&E in Wales show that yet again patients are having to wait far too long in departments across the country.

During July 2016 only 88.2% of patients at the Royal Glamorgan were seen and discharged or admitted within the target time of four hours. More than 600 patients waited longer than that, with 134 spending more than eight hours there and 54 more than 12 hours.

This is actually an improvement on June when only 79.5% were seen within four hours and a shocking 188 spent more than 12 hours there.

The staff at our A&E departments are doing a great job in impossible circumstances. The units are understaffed and not adequately equipped. I am constantly hearing stories of A&E running out of basic supplies.

This is nothing new; it has been the case for not just months but years now and the Welsh Labour Government have done nothing about it.

There are still plans to move severe trauma care from the Royal Glamorgan to other locations in Bridgend, Merthyr and Cardiff, according to the South Wales Programme. Little information seems to be coming forth regarding progress on that and their waiting times are similarly poor.

It must be galling indeed for residents in the Pontypridd constituency to see their MP Owen Smith going around the UK promising more money for the NHS in England in the very unlikely event he becomes Labour leader and then Prime Minister when services are so bad on his own doorstep and he says nothing. Karen Roberts RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats