Concerned by the huge backlog of patients waiting for appointments and treatments in North Wales, Clwyd West MS Darren Millar yesterday urged the Finance Minister to provide funding and support to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to help them get on top of it.

Prior to the pandemic, the health board already had the worst waiting times in the country, but with coronavirus disrupting services the problem has exacerbated.

In the Welsh Parliament yesterday, Darren raised the matter with the Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans MS, and called on her to take action to improve the situation for patients.  

He said;

“We know that the National Health Service has seen waiting times absolutely balloon in recent months, and of course, in north Wales in particular, we already had the worst waiting times in the country.

“What support are you going to make available from the Welsh Government's budget to support the NHS to deal with this huge backlog of patients waiting for appointments and treatments? And specifically, will you support the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board with any strategy that it brings forward in order to eradicate those waiting lists and get back on top of them?”

In her response the Minister referred to the Welsh Government’s recently announced stabilisation package for the NHS in Wales, which she said “should allow health boards and others across Wales to be able to get to that point at the end of the financial year where they've been able to meet all of those additional pressures put on them by COVID, but also stabilise the other parts of the NHS.”.

Darren added:

“Whilst I welcomed this funding, the Minister needs to bear in mind the unique position here in North Wales where there were huge backlogs long before the pandemic. Patients were disillusioned before Covid hit, but are now losing all faith of ever being seen and treated. The patients of North Wales deserve better.”