Welsh Conservative Regional AM Dr Altaf Hussain has criticised a significant increase last in the number of people waiting more than 12 hours at the A and E department in Bridgend’s Princess of Wales Hospital.
At 454 last month, Morriston Hospital had the most number of patients in Wales delayed this long.
The figure for the whole of Wales– published today – rose by 63 per cent from 1,168 in August to 1,946 in September.
The Welsh Government’s four hour target – last met in 2009 – was missed again last month. In total, just 84 per cent of A and E attendees were seen within four hours (14,000 people waited longer) – set against a Welsh Government target of 95 per cent.
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board also had the worst overall four-hour percentage, with nearly 24% of cases not being seen within four hours.
Welsh Conservative Regional Assembly Member Dr Altaf Hussain, said:
“A significant increase in the number of people waiting more than 12 hours is completely unacceptable.
“Six years of a missed A and E target is a shameful national scandal.
“Enough is enough. Patients deserve better and Labour Ministers must bring forward a credible plan for the winter months, when delays could lengthen further and the frail and elderly will be hit hardest. Every year they talk about seasonal pressures, yet seemingly do nothing to anticipate and address these.
“People living in the communities affected will rightly call for answers.
“Hardworking frontline staff are still being hit by record-breaking NHS budget cuts and the enormous strain on resources that have resulted from them.
“The Welsh NHS would have received one billion more to invest in services and performance improvement over the past 5 years had it been run by the Welsh Conservatives.”