Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Covid: £100m to 'kick start' NHS waiting list backlog

Covid: £100m to 'kick start' NHS waiting list backlog

An initial £100m will be spent to try to deal with the record backlog of NHS treatments caused by the pandemic, Wales' new health minister has said.

Eluned Morgan said the money will "kick start" the recovery of the health and care system.

All health boards will get a share of the funding for new equipment, staff and promoting "new ways of working".

Last month NHS Wales statistics showed more people were on waiting lists than ever before.

Those figures also showed there had been an eightfold increase in the number of patients waiting more than nine months for planned treatments.

In announcing the funding, the health minister said the money would not only support staff but also "transform services" so they were "fit for the future".

"The remarkable commitment of our NHS and social care workers has helped us through this pandemic to a point where we can now start to think about the future," she said.

"I am determined that we now provide them the support they need to help the service recover."

She added she was "under no illusions about the size of the task ahead", but stressed there was a "real opportunity to transform the delivery of health and care services".

"We must take this opportunity to create a health and care system that is fit for the future. The pandemic saw the early and swift adoption of new technology and ways of working, I want to see health boards build on this good work," she said.

But cancer charities have concerns about the impact of the pandemic on waiting times for both patients and staff.

Richard Pugh, head of Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales, told BBC Wales: "The backlog is a worry because people are coming in to the system.

"These incredible staff are fatigued. We weren't in the best place with cancer before this. The complications are that more people are coming in and the system can't cope.

"We warned about this months ago. The key thing is supporting the staff but our worry is the new numbers coming in."

How will the £100m be shared?


* Cardiff & Vale will get £13m to increase capacity for a range of therapies and diagnostics, including staff recruitment and two new mobile theatres
* Powys will get £2.5m to transform patient services and increase capacity for a range of services
* Cwm Taf Morgannwg will use £16m for recruitment and investment in surgical and diagnostic capacity
* Hywel Dda is to receive £13m to improve capacity for planned care, including hospital redesign and investment in diagnostics
* Aneurin Bevan will get £17m for projects to increased capacity in planned care, diagnostics, therapies and mental health
* Swansea Bay will use £16m to increase capacity in a wide range of areas, including theatres, recruitment and ophthalmology
* Betsi Cadwaldr will get £20m to increase capacity in planned care, cancer, dental, diagnostics and endoscopy
* Velindre will use £2.5m to increase capacity for radiotherapy.

The initial £100m funding was announced in March by Vaughan Gething, the previous health minister, ahead of the Senedd election.

During the subsequent election campaign, Labour promised £1bn would be spent over a number of years on an NHS recovery plan.

Staff are "exhausted", says NHS Wales boss Dr Andrew Goodall

NHS Wales chief executive Dr Andrew Goodall had previously warned staff were "exhausted" and said tackling the NHS could take "years to recover".

Figures published last month showed, as of February, waiting lists had hit record levels with 549,353 awaiting treatment or surgery. This is the equivalent of 17% of the Welsh population.

The statistics also showed almost 218,000 had been waiting more than 36 weeks - nine months - for treatment by February this year.

That is about eight times higher than in the same period last year, before the pandemic officially hit.

The latest NHS Wales performance statistics will be published at 09:30 BST on Thursday.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×