Welsh NHS delivers 100,000 extra appointments by year end

The Welsh Government has announced that almost 100,000 extra outpatient appointments will have been delivered across Wales by the end of December, following a £120m investment to tackle waiting times.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles announced the funding in June, which has enabled tens of thousands of additional appointments – including weekend slots – for patients throughout the country. The investment is also helping provide 20,000 more cataract operations by March 2026.

Today’s NHS performance figures reveal that in October, six health boards saw the total number of people waiting for treatment decrease. Swansea Bay has no patients waiting a year or more for their first outpatient appointment, whilst Powys and Hywel Dda have only one and six respectively.

There was a fall of 7.1% in October compared to September in the number of people waiting longer than the target time for diagnostics, and 14,533 patients received the good news they did not have cancer.

The overall time the Welsh Ambulance Service waited to transfer people to staff at the hospital’s emergency department fell by nearly a third in November when compared with the same month last year. Delays of over one hour were also down 30% compared to November 2024.

The latest planned care figures do not include statistics for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, as a review examining the health board’s data collection, quality assurance, and reporting processes is underway. Full NHS performance figures are expected to be reinstated from January.

The statistics come as urgent and emergency care services across Wales are experiencing high demand. November 2025 saw the highest attendances to all emergency departments for any November on record, with nearly 89,700 attendances.

People are being urged to only call 999 for genuine emergencies and to think carefully about where to get the care they need. When urgent care is required, NHS 111 Wales is available online or by phone 24 hours a day, every day.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said: “Providing almost 100,000 extra appointments shows our commitment to getting people seen quicker – that’s what the public want and what we’re working to deliver.

“I’m also pleased we’re on track to deliver 20,000 cataract operations by March 2026. In September, I visited the cataract unit at Llandough Hospital and the dedication of staff to making this happen is clear.

“We know the winter puts extra pressure on the NHS, and it’s vital everyone thinks carefully about which service is right for them. NHS 111 is there 24/7 to help, and we all have a role to play in supporting our health services.

“Health and social care staff will be working throughout the Christmas and New Year period, as always, and I want to thank them for their continued commitment to providing the best possible care.”