Patients should not have been waiting more than 18 months for orthopaedic surgery in Wales from Wednesday.

Last year, Health Minister Jane Hutt pledged �12m investment into the orthapedic part of the NHS in Wales, and promised shorter waiting lists for those needing the bone and muscle treatment.

The move was designed to slash "completely unacceptable" waiting times of up to six years for surgery.

That deadline passed at 0000 BST, and means nobody in Wales should now have been waiting for a year and a half for attention.

Jane Hutt promised �12m investment

Quarterly waiting list figures for Wales are due to be published later in the day.

But it will still not be clear whether the Welsh Assembly's self-imposed deadline has been met, because figures for July will not be available until next month, according to Ms Hutt.

Last month, health authorities assured the minister her target would be met.

But May's figures showed more than 1,000 patients were still waiting at least 18 months.

'Feeling trapped'

Former carpenter Edwyn Law, 72, from Machen near Caerphilly has been waiting to see a consultant about his knees for three and a half years.

Pains makes it difficult for him to move about easily.

Wife Jean has also been told to expect a 144-week wait for a similar operation.

"I feel trapped because I can't walk down the road to get a bus to Caerphilly," she told BBC Radio Wales.

As eyes turn to the Welsh Assembly's waiting list pledge, Jane Hutt is visiting an unique eye-screening programme to detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy, which can cause blindness in people with diabetes.

'Retina photos'

She said the assembly government was launching the technique nationwide.

"The scheme I am launching will preserve people's eyesight through a quality screening service covering all of Wales," she said.

The examination involves a photograph being taken of the back of the eye, the retina, with a digital camera.

Susceptible patients should contact their GPs for advice on making an appointment with the screening service.

This year, Ms Hutt has allocated �2m for the programme, which forms part of the Wales Eye Care Initiative.