Funding welcomed but long-term solution needed
Responding to the NHS activity and performance statistics for August and September and the announcement of £28m to help cut the longest waiting times, assistant director of the Welsh NHS Confederation Nesta Lloyd-Jones said:
“It’s clear from the latest performance statistics that the record levels of demand on health and care services are not going anywhere and will continue to be a huge challenge with existing resources.
“Therefore, NHS leaders welcome the ringfenced funding announced for targeted waiting list schemes, for which they submitted plans. Health boards will work hard to meet the conditions attached to the funding and do all they can to help bring down the longest waits.
“However, NHS leaders tell us more and more patients are needing higher levels of both urgent and non-urgent care, with the second highest daily numbers of ‘red’ (immediately life threatening) calls reported on record in September.
“This is combined with the huge challenges facing social care services, including some local councils stating they are on the brink of bankruptcy. Social care has a big impact on NHS capacity by keeping people well at home and in their communities, as well as the ability to discharge medically fit patients from hospital, to free up beds to see more patients.
“Unless these challenges of demand and capacity across the whole health and care system are addressed, specific, non-recurrent funding for schemes won’t be enough to achieve a sustainable health and care system in the long term.
“The Chancellor must therefore use her upcoming budget to provide some immediate support to the NHS and social care - decisions made by the UK Government have a knock-on effect on devolved government budgets, including our health and care services in Wales.”
