Mark Isherwood
North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood challenged the Welsh Government this week over NHS waiting times after a former Mayor spoke out about her year-long wait for an operation at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.
Diana Hannam, 73, Former Rhyl Mayor, states that she was removed from a Consultant’s list for complaining about her year-long wait for an shoulder operation.
Mr Isherwood, who has been supporting Mrs Hannam, raised the matter when calling for a Welsh Government Statement on NHS waiting times in this week’s Business Statement.
Speaking in the Chamber, he said:
“Could I call for a Statement on National Health Service waiting times, particularly in the context of the story of Diana Hannam, published in the ‘Daily Post’yesterday? She, a former mayor of Rhyl, chose to go public on this. I have been supporting her. We have received correspondence from the Health Board’s Acting Chief Executive stating that all patients should be treated within 52 weeks from the commencement of the ‘Referral to Treatment’ pathway. When I clarified this further, they said that that applies to most areas of ‘Surgical and Dental’ services, which happens to include all general surgery, orthopaedics, ear, nose and throat, breast care and very much more, although they are working to reduce that.
“Mrs Hannam has been waiting for over a year since she first went to a doctor. Her waiting time kicked in, she was told, from last September. However, she is not alone. Only last week, I visited another constituent who had been waiting over 40 weeks, aged 77, in agony. These are human stories. Could we have a response that reflects the reality and advises how the Welsh Government is going to address this, rather than simply passing the buck, once again, to the Health Board?”
The Minister for Local Government and Government Business, Lesley Griffiths AM, replied: “I obviously cannot comment on individual cases. A great deal of work is being undertaken by Health Boards right across Wales to ensure that their waiting times are meeting the targets.”
Mr Isherwood added: “The Minister’s response and denial of responsibility is callous and shocking.”
