The Welsh government is facing calls to abandon a controversial A&E policy, after claims that thousands of patients are not being included in official statistics. Emergency doctors have accused ministers of manipulating waiting times data by using what are known as “breach exemptions”. These allow the clock to be stopped on a patient’s wait in A&E if the department is deemed the safest place for their care. According to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, this means official statistics often ignore the full waiting times experienced by patients.
The Welsh government strenuously denies the allegations, claiming that the college misinterpreted the data they were given. However, Plaid Cymru has now called for the policy at the heart of the row to be scrapped. The party’s health spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor, says the current mechanism, which he describes as “not fit for purpose”, should be abandoned. He added that it was time for Wales to align itself with other UK nations and end the use of breach exemptions.
Health Minister Eluned Morgan has said she is discussing the matter with clinicians. She revealed that consultants themselves had called for the policy to be introduced in 2011. The minister is keen to ensure that the quality of care in emergency departments remains high, and will work with clinical leaders to improve services.
Wales will face particular challenges this winter as the NHS struggles to cope with the ongoing pandemic. Accurate data on waiting times and patient numbers will be crucial in effective planning. The Welsh Conservatives have also called on the government to ensure that data is reported accurately and transparently. In response, the minister offered to permit independent analysis of the data, saying that she stands by the statistics produced by the Welsh government
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