Staff shortages affect the NHS in Wales

The number of patients waiting to be admitted to hospital for treatment rose from 68,032 at the end of November last year to 69,514 at the end of December.

It reversed the downward trend of the previous three months while outpatient numbers continued to rise, by more than 2000 in the final month of the 2001.

The outpatient list has been increasing since February last year, and there are now more than 10,000 patients waiting more than 18 months for a first appointment with a consultant.

There is also bad news too for the assembly's target areas within the NHS.

Although the aim is to carry out all cataract surgery within four months, the number waiting for longer than that shows an upturn in December.

Health Minister Jane Hutt set tough targets

However December is a month when fewer surgical procedures are performed, due to the Christmas holidays.

Over the year 2001, inpatient numbers fell 8,000 in Wales.

In comparison, England's inpatient lists rose by 10,000 over the same period.

Earlier this month it was revealed that a severe staff shortage was jeopardising improvements to the NHS in Wales.

Doctors believe that patients in south east Wales have to wait longer for treatment than those in any other part of Europe.

Almost 2,000 Welsh patients - mainly from south east Wales - wait more than 18 months for orthopaedic surgery.

Longer lists

Plaid Cymru president Ieuan Wyn Jones has called on First Minister Rhodri Morgan to follow the Prime Minister's lead by commiting Labour's assembly prospects to improvements in the NHS by the next election.

He said: "The government of Wales does not deserve to be re-elected in 2003 unless they deliver improvements to the people of Wales by next year.

In September 2001, figures showed that there were 203,003 people in Wales waiting to see a hospital consultant for the first time.

This compared to just over 100,000 in March 1997, shortly before Labour took power.

The length of waiting times had also increased.

In July 2001 the Welsh Health Minister Jane Hutt set out "tough" targets for health authorities, sweetened by the offer of more money for services.

The new approach concentrated on key areas such as cancer and heart disease, and shifted the focus from waiting lists to waiting times.

Earlier this month a report warned that improvements to the NHS in Wales were being jeopardised by serious staff shortages, particularly among nurses.

The assembly's audit committee said an increase in the number of training places was unlikely in the near future.

Alternative solutions included attracting back people who had left the health service and hiring new staff from overseas.