Hospitals 'failing' on waiting lists

Patient treatment figures have yet to be met

Many hospitals in Wales will fail to meet National Assembly targets for reducing patient waiting lists by March.

Figures obtained by BBC Wales show that despite a major improvement, more patients are being admitted for treatment.

But hospitals are not able to cope with a huge increase in outpatient referrals.

Jane Hutt: Set strict targets

Health authorities were last year given tough targets to reduce both the numbers waiting for inpatient treatment, and those being referred by GPs for outpatient appointments.

There were 80,000 people waiting to go into hospital in 2000 and Assembly Health Minister Jane Hutt said she wanted to see that number reduced substantially to 65,000.

But by December, just 3,000 more people had been admitted and there had been a big growth in the numbers waiting for an outpatient appointment, which was up by nearly 10% overall.

Bro Taf Health Authority said it would not be able to achieve its target, but added that things had improved significantly in the last month.

Waiting times rise

Morgannwg health authority - which covers greater Swansea - said that the next month would be critical while in north Wales, hospitals do not expect to meet their inpatient targets.

Twelve months ago, there was a sharp rise in patient waiting times, with Iechyd Morgannwg and Gwent health authority the worst affected areas.

The stark figures led to the establishment of the Emergency Pressures Task Force, chaired by Assembly Health Minister Jane Hutt.

The minister said last year that she was "determined" to learn the lessons from patient waiting times.