Surgeons warn next Welsh Government must act as patients in Wales wait too long for surgery

Surgeons have warned that patients in Wales are still waiting too long for surgery, as the latest NHS waiting times data – the last to be published before the Senedd election on 7 May – highlights the scale of the challenge awaiting the next Welsh Government. 

While waiting times have improved in recent months, progress is still too slow and driven by short-term measures rather than sustained increases in NHS capacity. 

The number of patient pathways waiting two years or more for consultant-led hospital treatment fell from 5,208 in January to 4,517 in February. This is a significant year-on-year decrease from 15,505 in February 2025 but still underperforming against the Welsh Government’s ambition to eliminate all two-year waits by March 2026.  

105,559 patient pathways were still waiting over a year in February 2026, compared with 161,411 in February 2025. Overall, there were 687,958 referral-to-treatment patient pathways waiting for treatment.   

This is a year-on-year decrease of 105,988 compared to February 2025 but is set to fall short of the Welsh Government’s ambition to achieve a 200,000 reduction in the total waiting list by March 2026. Surgeons warn that Wales risks falling further behind the rest of the UK unless progress accelerates in expanding long-term surgical capacity. This includes the rollout of additional, accredited surgical hubs and a credible, long-term workforce plan.  

Without protected capacity for planned operations, recent improvements will remain vulnerable to seasonal pressures and surges in emergency care. 

Expanding surgical hubs across Wales would help protect planned operations and improve access to operating theatres. The Royal College of Surgeons of England’s 2025 Workforce Census found that over 60% of Welsh surgeons cited a lack of theatre access as a major barrier. This must be matched by a long-term workforce strategy to ensure the NHS has the staff needed to deliver care and move beyond years of short-term planning. 

Professor Jon Barry, Director in Wales at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said:    

“Behind today’s figures, the last before the Senedd election, are thousands of people still waiting for surgery, living with pain, uncertainty, and the risk that their condition will deteriorate. For many patients and families, these delays affect daily life, work, and wellbeing.  

“Progress has been made, but not at the pace patients need, and this is the challenge the next Welsh Government will face. 

“Surgical hubs can help reduce cancellations and increase capacity, but only if there are enough trained staff to run them. Without a long-term workforce plan, patients will continue to face delays. 

"Whoever forms the next Welsh Government must be ready to deliver real improvement on waiting times. Patients in Wales have been waiting far too long for an NHS they can rely on to help them get on with their lives.”  

ENDS 

Notes to editors 

1. The manifesto is available on our website: Senedd Manifesto 2026 — Royal College of Surgeons
2. NHS Activity and Performance Summary: February and March 2026 | GOV.WALES 
3. RCS England 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census: 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census — Royal College of Surgeons 
4. The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is a national NHS England programme designed to improve the treatment and care of patients through in-depth review of services, benchmarking, and presenting a data-driven evidence base to support change. The programme undertakes clinically-led reviews of specialties, combining wide-ranging data analysis with the input and professional knowledge of senior clinicians to examine how things are currently being done and how they could be improved. GIRFT is part of an aligned set of programmes within NHS England. The programme has the backing of the Royal Colleges and professional associations. Getting It Right First Time - GIRFT 
5. The Royal College of Surgeons of England provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams at all stages of their careers. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research, and championing the best outcomes for patients.
6. For more information, please contact the RCS England press office: telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054/6047; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk; out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.