A plan to reduce the record-breaking backlog of planned NHS care has been published by the Welsh Government. As part of the strategy, a series of targets have been set out for health boards to achieve, including a pledge to eliminate one-year waits for treatment in most specialties by spring 2025.
It also focuses heavily on providing care closer to people's homes and offering more consultations virtually wherever possible. During the Welsh Government press conference on Tuesday lunchtime, Health Minister Eluned Morgan said 'Super Saturdays' would be introduced to boost productivity over weekends, adding that incentives would be offered to NHS staff to encourage them to work longer hours.
However, opposition parties have described the plan as "unambitious" and criticised the lack of detail on boosting workforce numbers. The health minister also admitted that some patients could still be waiting longer than a year for orthopaedic treatment by spring 2025 because they are more easily postponed by urgent cases in A&E.
