Cabinet Secretary Admits Meeting Target Waiting Times for Orthopaedics is “Plainly Unachievable”

Aberconwy AM, Janet Finch-Saunders has expressed her outrage and concern at the admittance by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services that bringing orthopaedic waiting times in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board down to the national target of 36 weeks is “plainly unachievable” – even by September next year.

Janet said: “Waiting times for orthopaedic treatments have been a huge concern over the past few years, where we have seen patients waiting over 130 weeks for hip or knee operations.

“It is of uptmost concern that the Cabinet Secretary himself does not believe that he can bring waiting times down to national targets in over a year’s time.

“Most would not consider this to be overly ambitious – it is purely about meeting already established treatment time targets! This utter lack of ambition is indicative of the laissez-faire attitude with which the Welsh Labour Government have managed the Health Board under special measures.

“With direct responsibility for the improvement of the Board, it is shocking that the Cabinet Secretary will even attempt to aim for his Government’s own targets. The people of North Wales deserve much better from their Government, and I do feel that the Cabinet Secretary must seriously consider his position.”