The BMA says ward staff are working at an all-time high pace

But the assembly government said Dr Tony Calland's claim "flies in the face" of latest statistics on the NHS.

He spoke as new figures showed 311,000 people were waiting for treatment in Wales, up by 2,400 on last month.

However Labour said they showed waiting times were coming down, including a 33% cut in waits over 18 months for inpatient or day cases.

On Tuesday, Health Minister Jane Hutt survived a vote of no-confidence in her health policies tabled by Plaid Cymru.

It's dangerous for the patients and puts a large responsibility on the doctors to risk manage that illness and those patients and it's getting worse not better Tony Calland, BMA

The motion won support from other parties but Labour won by 29 votes to 25.

The latest figures on Wednesday showed a 0.8% increase (during October) in the number on waiting lists.

The BMA challenged the assembly government to change "this totally unacceptable situation."

Dr Calland, chairman of the BMA's Welsh council, said: "Today's high figures makes all health professionals working in NHS Wales weep in despair.

Latest Welsh NHS figures Waiting for treatment: 311,765 (up from 309,354 on 30 Sept) In-patient waiting: 71,598 (down from 72,179) First out-patient appointment waiting: 240,167 (up from 237,175)

"Health professionals are working at an all-time high record pace, but it's quite obvious that the system is letting down both patients and health professionals.

"We feel that in Wales at the moment, the current NHS in Wales is not delivering as it could do.

"It's dangerous for the patients and puts a large responsibility on the doctors to risk manage that illness and those patients and it's getting worse not better. It really has gone beyond a joke now."

He said that as well as its trade union role for doctors, the BMA also worked in a non-party political way for patients.

'Real story'

He said: "We also have a political role in making sure that pressure is applied to government to make sure that our patients are treated efficiently."

Conservative assembly health spokesman Jonathan Morgan AM said: "This time last year, Health Minister Jane Hutt told us that things would improve following two independent and damning reports on the state of NHS Wales.

"Then, 307,000 people were waiting. One year on and things have got worse."

Plaid Cymru said: "No one would expect to wait so long in either England or Scotland. This New Labour government has given up on outpatient waiting times in Wales. "

The Welsh Assembly Government said: "This quote (Dr Calland's) flies in the face of the figures which have been released today.

"The policy of the assembly government, and of the profession, has been to focus on waiting times, rather than waiting lists. And today's figures show waiting times are coming down."

The statement said there was a 33% fall in patients waiting over 18 months for inpatient or day case treatment, a 7% drop in the number waiting over 12 months for inpatient or day case treatment and a drop in the number of waits over 18 months for an out-patient appointment.

It said more than two thirds of people on the out-patient list were being seen in under six months, while there had been further reductions in target areas.

It said: "Only 39 patients waiting over four months for cataract surgery, only 58 patients are waiting over eight months for cardiac surgery, no patient is waiting over six months for an angiogram and only three patients are waiting over eight months for angioplasty.

"That is the real story about what is going on in the Welsh health service today."