No quick fix for the NHS backlog

EVERY month the Welsh Government publishes new data on the performance of our National Health Service.

It contains key updates on the number of people waiting for nonurgent treatment, as well as the time patients are spending in A&E and waiting for an ambulance.

Sadly, these figures are deteriorating month on month to the point where it is almost inevitable that more individuals will be added to the NHS waiting list.

In January, a colossal 688,836 people were awaiting non-urgent treatment. Just before the pandemic hit it was down to just over 450,000 which is a big drop but, nevertheless, still a sizeable chunk of the population.

The main problem at present is the fact far more patients are waiting one, even two, years before they are seen.

Many of these people, who require hip and knee surgery among many other routine procedures, have seen their conditions worsen during their time in limbo. It’s no exaggeration to say thousands of them will require more complex care should their situation not be addressed soon. Many are, tragically, past this point already.

Mary Cowern, director of Cymru Versus Arthritis, said people with the condition have come to them to share their despair at the length of treatment waits and the impact it has had on their mobility, independence and quality of life.

“Many are now struggling to leave their home and can no longer do the day-to-day activities that we usually take for granted. It is taking a huge toll on their emotional and mental health,” she said.

Similarly, the latest figures also appear to show a crisis in acute care. Patients are continuing to face long, uncomfortable waits in crowded emergency departments, while others wait in the community for long periods of time for an ambulance. This is all being compounded by another increase in Covid cases in the community, which is now translating into more people being admitted into hospital with the virus.

Experts in emergency medicine have warned this crisis is unsustainable. They claim burnt-out staff are doing all they can to keep patients safe and minimise harm, but the task is becoming increasingly challenging to manage.

The Welsh Government is releasing its recovery plan to reduce the NHS backlog next month, but with the BA.2 subtype of Omicron causing a surge in Covid cases, it’s difficult to see when waiting times will finally turn a corner.