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| NHS Wales: Waiting times worse than in England | NHS Wales: Waiting times worse than in England |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| NHS patients in Wales wait longer for treatment and diagnosis than patients in England for most of the main categories, BBC Wales can reveal. | |
| Hip operations showed the biggest difference of four months, with an average wait in England of 75 days compared to 197 in Wales in 2014/15. | Hip operations showed the biggest difference of four months, with an average wait in England of 75 days compared to 197 in Wales in 2014/15. |
| Diagnosis of heart disease takes on average 10 days longer in Wales. | Diagnosis of heart disease takes on average 10 days longer in Wales. |
| Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething called for a focus on the results of treatment, not just waiting times. | Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething called for a focus on the results of treatment, not just waiting times. |
| Waiting times for hip surgery have deteriorated significantly in Wales over the past four years. Since 2011/12, the average wait has risen by a fifth for the nearly 6,000 people who had hip operations in 2014/15. | Waiting times for hip surgery have deteriorated significantly in Wales over the past four years. Since 2011/12, the average wait has risen by a fifth for the nearly 6,000 people who had hip operations in 2014/15. |
| Waiting times in Wales for the treatment of cataracts, hernias and some heart operations are around two months longer than in England. | Waiting times in Wales for the treatment of cataracts, hernias and some heart operations are around two months longer than in England. |
| Diagnosis of pneumonia takes two weeks longer in Wales and waits for stomach operations 12 days longer. | Diagnosis of pneumonia takes two weeks longer in Wales and waits for stomach operations 12 days longer. |
| There were minimal differences in waits for heart procedures, diagnosis of cancer and head injuries, while waits for kidney operations were less in Wales than in England. | There were minimal differences in waits for heart procedures, diagnosis of cancer and head injuries, while waits for kidney operations were less in Wales than in England. |
| The figures are drawn from the headline figures measured in the Hospital Episode Statistics from the English NHS and the Patient Episode Database for Wales. | The figures are drawn from the headline figures measured in the Hospital Episode Statistics from the English NHS and the Patient Episode Database for Wales. |
| The difference in waiting times since 2011/12 and 2014/15 has narrowed significantly for heart operations but has grown for hip and cataract operations, and the diagnosis of hernias. | The difference in waiting times since 2011/12 and 2014/15 has narrowed significantly for heart operations but has grown for hip and cataract operations, and the diagnosis of hernias. |
| More than 40,000 routine orthopaedic operations take place in Wales every year. | More than 40,000 routine orthopaedic operations take place in Wales every year. |
| But the numbers waiting more than six months for treatment has been increasing since 2012, and in 2015 a national plan for improving orthopaedic care was launched by the deputy health minister. | But the numbers waiting more than six months for treatment has been increasing since 2012, and in 2015 a national plan for improving orthopaedic care was launched by the deputy health minister. |
| The NHS in Wales has also been tackling the backlog of cardiac patients on the waiting list. | The NHS in Wales has also been tackling the backlog of cardiac patients on the waiting list. |
| Mr Gething said he did not accept there had been failings in the Welsh NHS, but added: "I know we have more to do. | Mr Gething said he did not accept there had been failings in the Welsh NHS, but added: "I know we have more to do. |
| "We want to have a system that properly runs on waiting for treatment that is acceptable, but importantly the focus has to be on outcomes. | "We want to have a system that properly runs on waiting for treatment that is acceptable, but importantly the focus has to be on outcomes. |
| "How do we run a service in a different way because we know we have lots more demand coming into the system with an older population? | "How do we run a service in a different way because we know we have lots more demand coming into the system with an older population? |
| "What we need to do in Wales is to have a real focus on outcomes and not just on treatment times." | "What we need to do in Wales is to have a real focus on outcomes and not just on treatment times." |
| The Welsh NHS Confederation, which represents local health boards and trusts, said waiting times "capture only one part of what the NHS does". | The Welsh NHS Confederation, which represents local health boards and trusts, said waiting times "capture only one part of what the NHS does". |
| "Much of the work carried out by the NHS is helping people to manage long-term conditions, often in primary care and the community, and avoid the need for hospital admission," a spokesman said. | "Much of the work carried out by the NHS is helping people to manage long-term conditions, often in primary care and the community, and avoid the need for hospital admission," a spokesman said. |
| "While waiting times will always be a priority, our members will continue to work hard to improve the quality of care, and people's health and well-being in the future." | "While waiting times will always be a priority, our members will continue to work hard to improve the quality of care, and people's health and well-being in the future." |
| Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams said: "Time after time Labour ministers have ducked and dived, claiming statistics aren't comparable. | Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams said: "Time after time Labour ministers have ducked and dived, claiming statistics aren't comparable. |
| "Yet these figures are stark, and make it explicitly clear that waiting lists are much longer in Wales than in England. | "Yet these figures are stark, and make it explicitly clear that waiting lists are much longer in Wales than in England. |
| "After 17 years, Labour's legacy on the NHS is one of failure. They should be ashamed of these figures and, quite frankly, the people of Wales deserve an apology. | "After 17 years, Labour's legacy on the NHS is one of failure. They should be ashamed of these figures and, quite frankly, the people of Wales deserve an apology. |
| "The Welsh Liberal Democrats will deliver an NHS that puts patients first." | "The Welsh Liberal Democrats will deliver an NHS that puts patients first." |
| Do you live in England or Wales? Have you recently had an operation or are you on a waiting list for treatment? Email your stories to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | |
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