Will the Welsh Government's recently convened expert group tasked with publishing a delivery plan to expand surgical hubs provision produce a roadmap with target dates for reducing orthopaedic waiting times back to the pre-pandemic 26 week target?
The Elective Care Expert Task and Finish Group brings together a broad range of clinical and operational expertise to develop a national delivery plan for up to 10 elective care hubs across Wales.
The Elective Care Expert Task and Finish Group will plan out how many hubs are needed, where they will be based and how they will increase capacity in the system. The Group will outline its recommendations to me by the end of the year.
The hubs are at the heart of tacking the inherited long waiting lists, with the aim to deliver sustainable improvements in access and treatment by increasing capacity for diagnostics and planned surgery (including orthopaedics).
The elective care hubs will be implemented and operationalised over the course of this Senedd term.