Figures published this morning for January 2014 show that in Wales over a third of NHS patients waiting for diagnostic services wait over eight weeks.
In England for the same period fewer than 1.8% of patients waited for more than six weeks for diagnostic services.
The total number of patients in Wales waiting for diagnostic services in January 2014 stood at a 25 month high.
Separate figures published today also revealed that the proportion of Welsh patients waiting less than 26 weeks from referral to treatment at the end of January 2014 stood at 86.8%. Of those treated in January 2014, just 78.7% had been treated within 26 weeks, which is a fall from December 2013.
The Welsh Government’s target is for 95% of patients to be treated within 26 weeks.
Darren Millar AM, Shadow Minister for Health, said, “These figures clearly show how Welsh patients are waiting longer to receive a diagnosis and longer from GP referral to treatment than over the border.
“Welsh Labour have imposed the UK’s worst financial settlement on the NHS and their legacy of record-breaking cuts has put enormous pressure on frontline staff, axed beds and is biting patients hard.
“A third of the thousands of patients waiting for a diagnosis are waiting more than eight weeks in the Labour-run Welsh NHS, yet in England only 1.8% of patients wait more than six weeks.
“Welsh Conservatives have consistently campaigned for a Keogh-style inquiry into standards in Welsh hospitals to get to the bottom of high death rates and turn around the decline in performance.
“Waiting for a diagnosis or for treatment having been referred by a GP can be a distressing time for a patient and their family and waiting too long can be lead to poorer or devastating outcomes.
“Hardworking people pay their taxes and expect the NHS to be on hand for their family when they need it, but in Labour-run Wales, patients are being let down and things only look set to get even worse.”
