NHS Wales: Emergency care improvements regress as A&E visits and ambulance calls increase

There were 11,412 more attendances to emergency departments in Wales in March than in February this year.

Recent steady improvements in ambulance response times and A&E waiting times have regressed as more patients accessed emergency care, according to the latest NHS Wales performance data.

In March, just 47.5% of the most immediately life-threatening calls received an ambulance response within the target time of eight minutes, compared to 50.9% in February.

The target is 65%, but figures also show an increased number of 999 calls, with 312 more 'red' calls to the ambulance service.

Meanwhile, 69.5% of patients attending emergency departments in March waited to be seen for less than the target time of four hours, compared to 71.5% in February.

But there were 11,412 more attendances, with a total of 89,260 people visiting emergency departments in March.

Inside Wales' largest hospital where extreme demand is 'compromising' care
The number of people waiting to start planned treatment has dropped, but there are still more than half a million people on the list. Credit: PA Images

Planned care has seen gradual improvements continuing, with the number of waits to start treatment continuing to fall.

574,000 individual patients are currently on a treatment waiting list - a fall of 1,700 patients.

But figures from before the Covid pandemic show just how far the NHS still has to go.

Patient pathways waiting to start treatment

  • February 2019: 437,282

  • February 2023: 731,102

Percentage of patients who spent less than the target time of four hours in an emergency department

  • March 2019: 78.7%

  • March 2023: 69.5%

Percentage of ambulance red calls responded to within the target time of eight minutes

  • March 2019: 71.2%

  • March 2023: 47.5%

Number of cancer patients starting treatment on time lowest on record
Health Minister Eluned Morgan has recognised "there is more to do in some areas", and said she expects progress to pick back up.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said she is "pleased to see some headway in planned care".

"These improvements must be seen within a wider a context where, as today's data shows, the pressures we have seen on our NHS have still not eased," she added.

"Emergency care services have borne the brunt of the recent pressures, with an increase in ambulance call volumes and presentations at emergency departments.

"Regarding ambulance response times, while there were improvements against the four and twelve hour targets compared to March 2022, response times for the most urgent calls continue to be a major challenge and we expect to see improvements in ambulance patient handover in the coming months to enable better performance.

"We have set very ambitious targets for our NHS and we have seen improvements in several areas, as our NHS continues to meet the increased demand for care following the pandemic.

"It is clear there is more to do in some areas, and I will expect to see progress following the improvements made and our additional investment."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...