The Welsh NHS is still buying fax machines to use in its hospitals, a leading doctor has confirmed.
Dr Karl Davies, a consultant geriatrician and vice-chairman of the British Geriatrics Society, said the archaic technology had no place in a modern health service.
Speaking in front of the Senedd's Health and Social Care Committee he made one request: that "no more fax machines" should be used by the NHS as he never receives the messages.
Read more: NHS staff give evidence to Senedd on the crisis facing Welsh hospitals
"We have just bought a fax machine for the new hospital. For heaven's sake, what are we doing?" he exclaimed.
"GPs fax referrals into the emergency unit – I never see [them]. Why is that not emailed to me? Because I can't deal with the emergency information if that emergency information doesn't get to me."
The NHS in England has not been allowed to buy fax machines since January 2019. It is understood that Dr Davies was referring to The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran when he stated "new hospital" but this has yet to be verified.
Following the meeting Plaid Cymru health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth MS expressed his shock that these machines were still used as part of modern medical practice in Wales, tweeting "Pa ganrif ydi hon?" (What century is this?).
"It's ridiculous in this day and age that a new Welsh hospital has had to buy a fax machine so that it can follow outdated processes still used in parts of the NHS. It says a lot about the need to drag the NHS in Wales into the 21st century," he said.
"This must change. The Welsh Government's hope that usage would decline naturally over time has not been borne out and so they must now put steps in place to ensure this technology – and all the costs that go with maintaining these old machines – are phased out starting now."
Mr ap Iorwerth added: "If a news outlet wants to run this story they may need to include an explainer on what a fax machine is – that's how archaic the technology is. Our hospitals should not be relying on this form of communication and certainly not in the case of emergencies."
Welsh Conservative and shadow health minister Russell George MS quizzed Dr Davies on whether fax machines were still being manufactured.
"We were going to challenge them to see if they could buy a VCR or Betamax next," Dr Davies joked, before adding: "Sorry, probably not appropriate for a council."
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