Fears for Welsh NHS as winter pressure bites

THE Welsh NHS could face a winter of unprecedented demand after performance against waiting times took a turn for the worse last month.

According to latest figures, more patients are waiting longer for vital operations, while the number of people spending unacceptably lengthy spells in A&E is also on the increase.

Dr David Bailey, chairman of BMA Welsh Council, said the NHS in Wales is “under-prepared” for fluctuations in demand, such as during the winter months.

He said: “BMA Cymru Wales believes it is vital that there is sufficient capacity across the entire health and social care system, including accident and emergency departments, general practice and social care provision. In particular, a lack of in- vestment and capacity in social care is increasingly impacting on the provision of healthcare, especially during times of increased pressures on hospital and community beds.

“The extra surge in morbidity and illness during the winter months has a major impact on primary care and general practice needs to be provided with the resources and support to respond flexibly to the needs of patients.

“A permanent funding solution across the NHS needs to be implemented and investment must keep up with demand in every part of the system.”

In September, 2,438 patients spent longer than 12 hours in Welsh accident and emergency units – a rise of 1,858 on August and 2,165 in July.

This comes despite a 4.2% fall in overall A&E attendances last month and a 1.3% fall in ambulance calls in the same period.

There were similar concerns over the number of patients waiting nine months or more before receiving scheduled hospital treatment.

At the end of August, 22,440 (4.9%) – or one in 20 – people had been waiting more than 36 weeks from the date their referral letter was received by hospital staff. That was the highest number since February 2016.

The Welsh Government wants 95% of patients to be given treatment within 26 weeks of referral, but by the end of August just 85.2% of patients received it within that time-frame.