In the Seventh Senedd, health has been argued about mainly between a Plaid Cymru Government and the opposition parties. Cabinet Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor has set out surgical hubs and a £145 million waiting times fund. Opposition Members have pressed for a date to end two-year waits and questioned recovery at Betsi Cadwaladr. Debates also covered rural and Powys hospital services, GPs and dentistry, nursing graduate jobs, winter planning, maternity, palliative care and prostate cancer.
The main arguments
Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru) says 10 surgical hubs and £145 million will end two-year waits within months. Ken Skates and Huw Thomas (Welsh Labour) say lists fell for 10 months under Labour's £120 million and ask for a firm date.
May 2021Mar 2026
2,229 contributions in the Sixth Senedd touched on this. The busiest month was Feb 2022, with 252.
Who raises it
Labour49%
Conservative34%
Plaid15%
Lib Dem1%
Independent0%
Reform0%
Share of the 1,728 contributions on this subject, by the speaker's party.
Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru) called Betsi Cadwaladr unacceptable and set out a more directly led intervention with 'no second chances'. Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives) and James Evans (Reform UK) doubt that more reviews and outside support will differ from past attempts. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Paul Davies and Peter Fox (Welsh Conservatives) urged ruling out hospital downgrades and closures. Gwyn Williams (Plaid Cymru) opposed the wording on efficiency grounds. Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats) pressed on Powys community beds. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru) set out up to 100 more salaried GPs and a grant for practice overheads. Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Claire Archibald (Reform UK) and Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives) raised falling NHS dental access and the dental contract. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Paul Rock (Wales Green Party) and Mike Hedges (Welsh Labour) raised newly qualified nurses without posts. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) promised a national workforce strategy. Welsh Labour and the Welsh Conservatives pressed on the Cwm Taf Morgannwg health visitors' dispute. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
Jayne Bryant (Welsh Labour) asked how pathways out of acute care will be funded. Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats) cited 1,275 people stuck in hospital awaiting social care. Natasha Asghar (Welsh Conservatives) cited long ambulance waits for stroke patients. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats) said maternity services faced over 500 recommendations in a decade. Delyth Jewell (Plaid Cymru) confirmed 'The path to safer beginnings' will be implemented. Benjamin Hodge Mckenna (Reform UK) moved to include prostate cancer in the cancer strategy. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Where the parties stand
Plaid Cymru
Members in Government say they will cut waits through surgical hubs, shift resources to primary and community care, take direct control of Betsi Cadwaladr's recovery and build a national workforce strategy. They say local service decisions rest with health boards. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
Welsh LabourShifted
Labour Members credit the previous Government's £120 million for falling waits. They press Ministers for dates and detail on hubs and two-year waits, back rebuilding hospitals, and raise the Cwm Taf health visitors' dispute. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
How this has shifted: In June Ken Skates said waiting lists had fallen for 10 consecutive months. By October he said they were rising again under this Government.
Welsh Conservatives
Welsh Conservatives want hospital downgrades ruled out and say Plaid Cymru shares blame for the NHS's state. They press for action on Betsi Cadwaladr and for changes to the NHS dental contract. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Reform UK
Reform UK Members accept the Government's diagnosis but ask for delivery and detail on funding per health board. They called the escalation framework ineffective, back using independent providers where capacity helps clear backlogs, and oppose bed cuts in Powys. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
Welsh Liberal DemocratsShifted
Jane Dodds presses for clear targets, fairer treatment of Powys on cross-border waits, protection of community beds, social care funding and NHS dentistry. She has asked what powers Wales needs to intervene in health boards. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
How this has shifted: In June she raised Powys funding and cross-border waits. By late September she was calling for the Powys board to be sacked, and in October asked what powers Wales needs to intervene.
Wales Green Party
Paul Rock raised a constituent among newly qualified nurses left without posts, and linked low-carbon heating and air quality to reduced NHS pressure. Contributions: [1][2]
What the government is being pressed on
1When will two-year waits end? Ken Skates and Huw Thomas (Welsh Labour) asked repeatedly. Mabon ap Gwynfor said the plan would eradicate them 'in a matter of months', and said the £145 million is being spent differently from Labour's funding. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
2Will Ministers stop community bed cuts in Powys? Jane Dodds asked. Replies on 30 June and 14 July said commissioning and service planning rest with health boards. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
3What will differ at Betsi Cadwaladr this time? James Evans and Natasha Asghar asked. Mabon ap Gwynfor said the intervention is directly led, with no second chances, and that he would chair a board meeting in July. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
4By what date will nursing graduates without posts get offers? Paul Rock asked, citing 400 healthcare graduates. Rhun ap Iorwerth spoke of a workforce strategy; Gareth Beer later cited 253 extra graduate nursing jobs. No direct reply on a date is provided. Contributions: [1][2][3]
5What will Ministers do on NHS dental access? Darren Millar, Jane Dodds, Claire Archibald and Laura Anne Jones raised it. No ministerial reply is included in the material provided. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
What the public is asking for
Open petitions include 18,080 signatures to unfreeze gender-affirming surgeries, 11,828 to prevent the loss of Wales' only tertiary accredited endometriosis centre, and 10,473 to halt bed and community hospital closures in Powys. A petition for a general hospital for Powys has 578.
Who ministers are meeting
Ministers' published meetings include health boards (Betsi Cadwaladr four times), professional bodies such as the Royal College of Midwives Wales, cancer and hospice organisations, NHS health trade unions, and women's health and primary care summits.
In the Sixth Senedd (2021 to 2026)
From the previous Senedd's record, for issues that run across both. The rest of this analysis covers the Seventh Senedd only.
In the Sixth Senedd, health debates centred on waiting lists, Betsi Cadwaladr's repeated escalation, and access to dentistry and primary care. Plaid Cymru, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Members pressed the Labour Government on long waits and special measures. Labour Ministers pointed to extra funding and the need for transformation. By early 2026, cross-border waits for Powys patients were also raised.
Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru) said in September 2024 that waiting lists had hit record highs for five months. In January 2025 Jeremy Miles (Welsh Labour) said short-term measures alone would not suffice and transformation was needed. Contributions: [1][2]
On Betsi Cadwaladr, Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives) said in June 2022 'Betsi isn't working'. Eluned Morgan (Welsh Labour) extended targeted intervention to Glan Clwyd without special measures. In February 2024 Llyr Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru) noted its return to special measures. Contributions: [1][2][3]
On dentistry, Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats) raised children waiting for NHS care in 2023, while Jeremy Miles (Welsh Labour) said in January 2025 that over 420,000 new patients had received a full course of treatment since April 2022. Contributions: [1][2]
In January 2026 Russell George (Independent) and Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats) said Powys patients waiting for English hospital treatment faced longer waits because of the health board's financial limits. Contributions: [1][2]
Written by AI on 30 October 2026 from 240 contributions in the Senedd between 19 May 2026 and 22 October 2026, with the petitions and ministers' meetings on this brief. Each point links to the contributions it draws on; check them before quoting. How the analysis is written.
Where things stand
Statistics published by the Welsh Government. Each chart covers the years since the 2016 Senedd election, or as far back as the figures go, and marks each election since.
NHS waiting list
714,218
August 2026
A year earlier
795,360(August 2025)
Before the 2026 election
680,003(April 2026)
Patient pathways waiting to start treatment at the end of each month. This counts pathways, not people: one person can be waiting on more than one pathway.
The Programme for Government 2026 to 2030 belongs to the Seventh Senedd. Choose the Seventh Senedd to see how often each commitment has come up.
Reducing waiting lists
Cut waiting times and improve delivery of planned care by transforming and modernising outpatient services, expanding diagnostic and surgical capacity and establishing up to 10 surgical hubs across Wales.
Ensure integrated care is delivered closer to home with prevention at its core, to support earlier diagnosis, reduced admissions and delays in discharge.
Strengthen national clinical pathways for all age groups, with a particular focus on mental health, stroke, diabetes, ophthalmology and cardiovascular care, to ensure safe, equitable and high‑quality care across Wales, embedding patients’ rights and reducing regional variation. The ambition for NHS Wales will be set out through a National Clinical Services Plan.
Deliver a National Cancer Strategy focused on prevention, earlier diagnosis, research and innovation, equitable access to services and more person‑centred cancer care.
Improve health and care outcomes and experiences for women and girls including through a strengthened NHS Wales Women’s Health Plan, ensuring women are heard, listened to and actively involved in shaping the services they use and the decisions that affect their care. We will also continue to deliver improved outcomes for women, families and babies through our broader maternity and neonatal care initiatives.
Improve outcomes for people living with dementia through earlier diagnosis, timely access to assessment and treatment including strengthened support and prevention as well as the publication of a Dementia Strategy.
Embed an outcomes‑focused approach to health and care, using evidence, data and patient experience to shape, deliver and improve services that achieve better health outcomes for the people of Wales.
Improving workforce and system infrastructure sustainability
Build a sustainable and skilled workforce through the delivery of a long‑term workforce strategy which increases the number of GPs by up to 100, improving access to out‑of‑hours care, reduces pressure on hospitals and Accident & Emergency departments, and supports flexible working and continued professional development.
Improve access to dental services, including exploring options to establish a new dental school in partnership with Aberystwyth University and Bangor University, and ensuring health boards assess local dentistry needs and take reasonable steps to ensure sufficient dental provision for their populations.
Review and, where necessary, strengthen or change organisational and governance structures to improve the effectiveness and accountability of the system.
Develop a Sustainable Health and Care Facilities programme, prioritising high‑risk maintenance and urgent repairs, modernisation and more efficient utilisation of the estate.
Implement a 10‑year Digital Strategy that promotes innovation and the strategic use of AI and other emerging technologies across NHS Wales, improves health literacy, and strengthens the use of data to enhance patient outcomes, informs decision‑making and delivers more effective services.
Source: Welsh Government, Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales, first published on 10 September 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Mentions are found by matching the names of plans, bodies and schemes; a mention says nothing about progress.
From the Welsh Government
The Welsh Government's latest press releases and Cabinet statements on this brief.
How these votes work: the Senedd first votes on the motion as written. If that fails, it votes on each amendment in turn, then on the motion with any agreed changes.
Votes are tagged from their own titles and the agenda item they were held under.
Each bar is the share of that party's speeches and questions in the Sixth Senedd that touched this brief, so large and small parties can be compared. The upright line marks the chamber as a whole: 1.2%.
Ministers' meetings with outside organisations and their engagements on this brief, from the register the Welsh Government publishes every three months. 1 since the 2026 election:
02/20/2023
Fforwm Arweinyddiaeth Mudiad Prif Weithredwyr Ambiwlansau / Association of Ambulance Chief Executives Leadership Forum
74% of Welsh adults said the NHS would be very important to their vote.
Ipsos asked 747 Welsh adults aged 16+ between 2 April 2026 and 8 April 2026, before the 2026 Senedd election. People could choose as many issues as they liked. More on public opinion.
Written questions
195 written questions to the Welsh Government on this brief in the Sixth Senedd, 191 answered so far. The latest:
Impact of the waiting times backlog on people in Wales who are waiting for diagnosis or treatment and Scrutiny of the Welsh Government’s Health and Social Care Winter Plan 2021 to 2022: evidence session with the Minister for Health and Social Services
Impact of the waiting times backlog on people in Wales who are waiting for diagnosis or treatment and Scrutiny of the Welsh Government’s Health and Social Care Winter Plan 2021 to 2022: evidence session with the Minister for Health and Social Services
Tagged from the title of its item or question: “patient flow”Official Record
Month by month
252
9
202120222023202420252026
Contributions tagged in each month of the Sixth Senedd. No sittings were held in August 2021, August 2022, August 2023, December 2024, February 2025, March 2025, April 2025, May 2025, June 2025, July 2025, August 2025, September 2025, October 2025, November 2025 and December 2025.Show the numbers
Month
Contributions
May 2021
0
June 2021
4
July 2021
4
August 2021
No sittings
September 2021
53
October 2021
21
November 2021
41
December 2021
75
January 2022
247
February 2022
252
March 2022
155
April 2022
10
May 2022
37
June 2022
72
July 2022
20
August 2022
No sittings
September 2022
20
October 2022
81
November 2022
39
December 2022
How this brief is put together
This brief follows the Programme commitments listed above and tags the record with the phrases below. Keyword matching can miss business that discusses the issue in other words, and can tag a passing mention.
Show the phrases it uses
A contribution is tagged when its English text contains one of these phrases. Capital letters don't matter, except in abbreviations, which must match exactly. It is also tagged when the title of the agenda item or question it was part of contains one, as long as the contribution is at least 30 words long. The brief is also tagged whenever one of its themes is.
Pathways waiting more than two years: every figure in the chart, newest first.
Period
Wales
August 2026
5,068
July 2026
4,731
June 2026
4,082
May 2026
4,208
April 2026
3,694
March 2026
2,589
February 2026
4,517
January 2026
5,208
December 2025
5,252
November 2025
6,883
October 2025
7,333
September 2025
6,678
August 2025
8,848
July 2025
8,110
June 2025
7,550
May 2025
10,338
April 2025
9,650
March 2025
8,389
February 2025
15,505
January 2025
21,087
December 2024
23,621
November 2024
24,361
October 2024
24,202
September 2024
23,701
August 2024
24,193
July 2024
23,830
June 2024
23,418
May 2024
22,455
April 2024
21,290
March 2024
20,636
February 2024
22,980
January 2024
23,447
December 2023
24,248
November 2023
24,785
October 2023
25,669
September 2023
26,439
August 2023
27,041
July 2023
27,681
June 2023
28,331
May 2023
30,769
April 2023
31,481
March 2023
31,726
February 2023
37,594
January 2023
41,103
December 2022
45,385
November 2022
49,594
October 2022
54,491
September 2022
57,284
August 2022
59,350
July 2022
60,557
June 2022
62,136
May 2022
65,053
April 2022
68,032
March 2022
70,417
February 2022
64,102
January 2022
56,515
December 2021
49,692
November 2021
42,616
October 2021
35,568
September 2021
27,641
August 2021
20,899
July 2021
15,790
June 2021
12,173
May 2021
9,775
April 2021
7,666
March 2021
6,126
February 2021
4,771
January 2021
3,865
December 2020
2,783
November 2020
2,112
October 2020
1,680
September 2020
1,314
August 2020
1,096
July 2020
880
June 2020
683
May 2020
526
April 2020
350
March 2020
279
February 2020
241
January 2020
234
December 2019
221
November 2019
216
October 2019
211
September 2019
211
August 2019
192
July 2019
208
June 2019
162
May 2019
169
April 2019
167
March 2019
166
February 2019
172
January 2019
207
December 2018
203
November 2018
186
October 2018
188
September 2018
180
August 2018
181
July 2018
177
June 2018
164
May 2018
173
April 2018
181
March 2018
174
February 2018
174
January 2018
177
December 2017
198
November 2017
167
October 2017
163
September 2017
161
August 2017
160
July 2017
149
June 2017
143
May 2017
141
April 2017
133
March 2017
128
February 2017
128
January 2017
127
December 2016
122
November 2016
116
October 2016
120
September 2016
119
August 2016
106
July 2016
105
June 2016
91
May 2016
86
The share of new patients who spent less than four hours in emergency departments and minor injury units, from arrival until admission, transfer or discharge. The target is 95%.
Emergency department waits under four hours: every figure in the chart, newest first.
Period
Wales
September 2026
63.9%
August 2026
63.8%
July 2026
64.1%
June 2026
63.0%
May 2026
64.4%
April 2026
65.9%
March 2026
65.3%
February 2026
64.9%
January 2026
64.5%
December 2025
64.3%
November 2025
65.0%
October 2025
66.0%
September 2025
66.7%
August 2025
66.5%
July 2025
68.2%
June 2025
67.0%
May 2025
68.0%
April 2025
68.4%
March 2025
66.9%
February 2025
67.8%
January 2025
67.6%
December 2024
64.8%
November 2024
67.6%
October 2024
68.0%
September 2024
68.4%
August 2024
68.9%
July 2024
68.9%
June 2024
68.5%
May 2024
69.4%
April 2024
69.9%
March 2024
67.5%
February 2024
67.6%
January 2024
68.1%
December 2023
66.4%
November 2023
69.1%
October 2023
68.5%
September 2023
69.6%
August 2023
68.7%
July 2023
70.4%
June 2023
72.2%
May 2023
71.7%
April 2023
70.0%
March 2023
69.5%
February 2023
71.5%
January 2023
69.9%
December 2022
63.5%
November 2022
67.3%
October 2022
66.6%
September 2022
67.9%
August 2022
67.1%
July 2022
65.9%
June 2022
66.4%
May 2022
66.6%
April 2022
65.8%
March 2022
65.0%
February 2022
66.3%
January 2022
67.8%
December 2021
66.2%
November 2021
67.5%
October 2021
65.6%
September 2021
67.5%
August 2021
69.7%
July 2021
71.0%
June 2021
71.7%
May 2021
72.2%
April 2021
75.3%
March 2021
75.8%
February 2021
75.0%
January 2021
75.0%
December 2020
70.8%
November 2020
75.7%
October 2020
77.3%
September 2020
78.5%
August 2020
80.0%
July 2020
82.1%
June 2020
86.1%
May 2020
87.7%
April 2020
87.0%
March 2020
77.9%
February 2020
74.6%
January 2020
73.6%
December 2019
71.3%
November 2019
74.1%
October 2019
75.3%
September 2019
75.3%
August 2019
77.5%
July 2019
77.7%
June 2019
78.0%
May 2019
78.4%
April 2019
76.6%
March 2019
78.7%
February 2019
79.0%
January 2019
77.2%
December 2018
77.8%
November 2018
80.1%
October 2018
80.0%
September 2018
80.3%
August 2018
80.0%
July 2018
81.4%
June 2018
83.3%
May 2018
82.0%
April 2018
80.0%
March 2018
75.7%
February 2018
76.0%
January 2018
78.0%
December 2017
79.0%
November 2017
82.9%
October 2017
83.5%
September 2017
84.5%
August 2017
84.7%
July 2017
83.8%
June 2017
84.0%
May 2017
83.2%
April 2017
82.9%
March 2017
81.0%
February 2017
80.9%
January 2017
79.0%
December 2016
80.4%
November 2016
82.1%
October 2016
82.4%
September 2016
82.9%
August 2016
84.4%
July 2016
83.2%
June 2016
83.3%
May 2016
82.6%
The median response time for red (emergency) calls, from when the patient's location and main problem are established until an ambulance or other emergency resource arrives. Response categories changed in July 2025, so earlier months are not comparable.
