In its 2025-26 strategic objectives, RJAH said no Welsh patients should wait more than 104 weeks for treatment, in line with NHS Wales government standards. A report at the meeting said there had been 128 breaches of this.
The report said: “The breaches comprise of treatment waits for spinal, arthroplasty, knee and sports injuries and foot and ankle care.
“Very long waits now exceed 300 weeks for complex spinal surgery.”
During the discussion of the PTHB’s performance report from November, board member Mick Giannasi said the issues were a performance “outlier”.
“It actually sounds worse when you describe it as over five years,” he said.
“I appreciate the numbers involved are probably very small, but a wait of that length is clearly far beyond what could be considered acceptable even in the current context we’re operating.”
The report also said the hospital remained “the most challenged English provider for long waits with a growing trend of over 104-week waiters and with all key wait bands reporting special cause concern.”
“RJAH continue to face challenges with regards to their capacity and ability to see all patients within the Welsh government targets.”