Welsh Government accused of ‘catastrophic failure’ as paediatric waiting times increase

The Welsh Government has been accused of a ‘catastrophic failure’ after a new report revealed a big increase in waiting times for children requiring medical treatment.

The new report comes 12 months after the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Wales published it’s ‘Worried and Waiting’ report, which looked at data from 2016-2023 and highlighted the grave state of paediatric waiting times in Wales.

One year on, new data has revealed that waiting times for children have not only failed to improve but have, in fact, deteriorated, with over 56 thousand children waiting for treatment.

The latest statistics show that:

The number of children waiting one year for treatment rose by 22%.

The number of children waiting over a year for outpatient care rose by 32%.

There was a 4% decrease in the number of children waiting over two years for treatment.

The number of children presenting to A&E in January 2025 was 19,231 (aged 0-17).

Children on patient pathways, plans often used by healthcare teams to ensure patients receive consistent, high-quality care, rose by 5% to 56,211.

The report notes that “these figures paint a concerning picture of equal access to healthcare in Wales”.

‘Urgent focus’

RCPCH Officer for Wales, Dr Nick Wilkinson, said: “One year later from our first report and our children are still worried and sadly they are still waiting. With over 56 thousand children and young people stuck on a list, it is clear that child health needs urgent focus from government to put children first and prioritise Wales’s future.

“As a paediatrician this is deeply frustrating. We have identified the problem, set out the diagnosis and through our recommendations, outlined the cure for government. Last year’s report presented four core themes to enable effective change and if they had been rolled out, we might be much further along in the First Minister’s journey to achieving a Healthier Wales.

“The standard target, which aims to have 95% of patients waiting no longer than 26 weeks to start treatment, has not been met for those on the paediatric pathway since February 2020. This is a national scandal. No child should be experiencing long wait times, and as a paediatrician I see firsthand the damaging impact long waits for treatment have on children and their families, and how long-term health inequalities can be exacerbated as a result.

“From an economic perspective, children are the future of our society, and it is a no brainer to ensure they are as healthy and supported as can be. But fundamentally, children deserve to receive adequate and timely care, it is their right.”

‘Catastrophic’

James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care said: “These figures represent a catastrophic failure by the Welsh Labour Government and mean that more and more children are having their lives put on hold.

“The former Health Minister, now First Minister promised to eliminate the longest waits of two years or more for people of all ages in 2023 and 2024, yet they remain at over twenty thousand, with the overall waiting list for children standing at well over fifty thousand.

“Welsh Conservatives believe there is a need, greater than ever, to replace this Welsh Labour Government once and for all, so that we can fix the Welsh NHS and to get to grips with these excessive waits.”

Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, said:“While the First Minister has stated that her government’s key priority is reducing the longest waiting times, this data shows that the number of babies, children and young people waiting for over a year has increased significantly.

“Thousands of children are waiting far too long for what can be life changing treatments. The impact of waiting without the clinical interventions they need can be traumatic for a baby, child, or young person, and could seriously affect their development.

“I worry that, without a specific focus on child health from the Welsh Government, including having a child health workforce strategy as called for by the Royal College, we risk continuing to see the number of children and young people waiting over a year rise significantly. Welsh Government must clearly set out its plan for tackling these waits, including implementing RCPCH’s recommendations.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to improving health services for children and giving them the best, healthy start in life. From health support programmes starting at birth to nutritious free school meals, oral health education and mental health support in schools.

“We are investing in cutting waiting times and the number of children waiting more than two years for treatment has fallen by 77% since March 2022.”