Hywel Dda patients face long wait for treatment (From Western Telegraph)

Hywel Dda patients face long wait for treatment

8:50am Sunday 13th January 2013 in News

Concerns have been raised about the number of patients waiting more than 36 weeks for treatment within the Hywel Dda local health board area.

According to figures from the Welsh Government, in September last year, 441 patients had to wait more than 36 weeks to start their treatment, said Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies.

That figure rose by 36.9% to 604 the following month.

The number of patients being treated also increased. In September, 146 patients were treated under the timeframe ‘more than 36 weeks’.

Mr Davies said that the figure then rose by 89.7% the following month, to 277 patients.

Mr Davies said: “These figures are extremely worrying.

Waiting for treatment is a difficult time for any patient.

Unnecessary and avoidable delays for treatment only make the situation far worse.

Therefore, it is essential that the health board takes measures to tackle this issue.

“The financial challenge our health boards are facing is driving unpopular and dangerous service change; making targets more difficult to achieve and putting immense pressure on hardworking frontline staff. The people of Pembrokeshire have a right to feel to be treated in an appropriate and timely fashion.”

A health board spokesman said: “We are working with our clinicians to achieve the Government target of no 36 week waits by the end of March 2013 for as many of our patients as possible. We have extra clinics and theatre lists planned from now until the end of March to help us to do that.”