Surgeons: Invest in infrastructure and workforce to speed up cuts to waiting lists

New data, released by NHS Wales for November 2025, shows some progress in cutting the waiting list, but surgeons warn that ambitions to clear the longest waits remain at risk due to staff burnout and theatre access. 

The number of people waiting two years or more for consultant-led hospital treatment fell from 7,333 in October 2025 to 6,833 in November 2025, in a year of fluctuating progress to drive down the longest waits. However, 126,839 patient pathways had been waiting over a year in November 2025. Overall, the number of patient pathways waiting for treatment went down, with 757,866 compared to 781,240 in October 2025. 

While efforts to reduce the backlog continue, the reality is that significant and sustained improvements in waiting times remain elusive.  

Findings from Advancing the Surgical Workforce: 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census also highlight the scale of the challenge. Surgeons in Wales report the highest levels of burnout in the UK, with nearly two-thirds of respondents affected. Over 60% of surgeons who responded in Wales identified access to theatres as another major challenge. 

Professor Jon Barry, Director for Wales at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said:  
"Today’s figures underline yet again the gargantuan task NHS Wales staff face in trying to treat patients quickly. Patients across Wales are living with pain, uncertainty and delays that affect their daily lives. They deserve timely, safe care they can rely on.   

"This cannot be delivered without investing in both our infrastructure and our workforce. An expansion of surgical hub sites would deliver the sorely needed protected capacity to increase the number of procedures being carried out. Coupled with this, the absence of a long-term workforce plan undermines the health services’ ability to support its most valuable asset – the workforce." 
 
ENDS     

Notes to editors:     

1. NHS Activity and Performance Summary: NHS Activity and Performance Summary: November and December 2025 | GOV.WALES 

2. NHS waiting lists: referral to treatment pathways waiting to start treatment, August 2024 onwards | StatsWales 

3. The ‘patient pathway’ data released by Stats Wales covers the period of time from referral by a GP or other medical practitioner to hospital for treatment in the NHS in Wales. The data includes time spent waiting for any hospital appointments, tests, surgery, scans, or other procedures. 

4. Royal College of Surgeons of England Workforce Census 2025: 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census — Royal College of Surgeons 

5. NHS Wales waiting time targets:   
   
   a. No patients waiting longer than two years in most specialities by March 2023, and no patients waiting longer than one year in most specialities by Spring 2025 (new targets established in the planned care recovery plan).
   b. 95% of patients waiting less than 26 weeks from referral. No patients waiting more than 36 weeks for treatment from referral.   

6. In April 2025, Welsh Government outlined waiting times ambitions to be met by March 2026:
   
   a. Reduce the waiting list by 200,000
   b. Eliminate two-year waiting times for planned treatment
   c. Restore a maximum eight-week wait for tests 

7. The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS 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 career. 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.  

8. For more information, please contact the RCS England press office: telephone: 020 7869 6054/6053/6060; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk; out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.