Welsh Government Criticised for Missing NHS Recovery Targets

The Welsh Labour Government is facing sharp criticism from the opposition for failing to meet any of the targets outlined in the Planned Care Recovery Plan, aimed at reducing NHS waiting lists in Wales. Mabon ap Gwynfor, health spokesperson for Plaid Cymru, condemned the latest data which reveals that key benchmarks for improving patient care have once again been missed.

The Planned Care Recovery Plan, introduced in 2022, set five specific targets intended to curtail waiting times for treatments and consultations within the NHS. These included ensuring that no patient waits longer than a year for their first outpatient appointment by the end of 2022, eliminating waits longer than two years in most specialties by March 2023, and reducing waits longer than one year in most specialties by Spring 2025. Unfortunately, none of these targets have been achieved.

The plan also aimed to expedite diagnostic testing and reporting to eight weeks and 14 weeks for therapy interventions by Spring 2024, with a target for 80% of cancer patients to receive diagnosis and treatment within 62 days by 2026. Like its predecessors, this target remains unmet.

This week, statistics revealed a concerning decline in the percentage of cancer patients meeting the 62-day target, falling from 61.3% to 60.2%, significantly below the 80% goal. Mr. ap Gwynfor described this fluctuation as “completely unsustainable,” highlighting the detrimental impact of ongoing waiting list challenges on overall healthcare quality.

The Plaid Cymru spokesperson expressed that the Labour Government is “normalising low expectations” by celebrating minor progress while major targets remain unfulfilled. He pointed out that the First Minister’s goal to reduce two-year waits to 8,000 by Spring 2025 was a diluted target, especially after the government failed to eliminate such waits by 2022 as initially promised.

Mr. ap Gwynfor elaborated on how the government’s inability to reduce waiting lists is adversely affecting other areas, noting the expenditure of over £1.5 billion during this Senedd term alone aimed at addressing these issues. He stated, “The truth is that the waiting lists are a symptom of deeper problems within the health service.”

He emphasised that the Welsh Government’s approach has been a temporary fix rather than a comprehensive solution. “Until they address issues in governance, social care, and primary care, we will continue to see the figures fluctuate,” he stated.

In response to the ongoing crisis, Plaid Cymru has developed plans co-designed with clinicians and NHS managers to address immediate waiting list concerns while laying the groundwork for long-term solutions. The party is advocating for a robust cancer strategy to replace the current fragmented approach, arguing that early treatment is essential to saving lives.

On the government’s failure to meet any targets since their introduction, Mr. ap Gwynfor remarked, “Labour have never hit any of the targets for our NHS. Even worse, if you were to backdate the statistics to before the targets were set, they haven’t been hit for over a decade.”

He underscored the urgent need for change, asserting, “People are waiting longer for treatment across Wales and are living in both physical and mental pain.” He called for new leadership under Plaid Cymru, emphasizing that the people of Wales deserve a healthcare system that is effective and responsive to their needs.

Looking ahead to the elections in 2026, Mr. ap Gwynfor expressed optimism for significant change, stating, “This is a chance for new leadership that will take seriously the challenges faced by our NHS, paving the way for a healthier Wales.”