Will the Cabinet Secretary explain why the waiting list for ENT treatment is up to 55 weeks long at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and explain what action is being taken to reduce these waiting times for the over 537 patients, including the 70 noted as awaiting urgent treatment?
I expect all patients to be seen as quickly as possible and in order of clinical need, which is a decision for the relevant clinician to make. It is the responsibility of health boards to plan and deliver services to meet the need of their local populations.
I recognise some waiting times are too long, which is why I introduced the clinician-led planned care programme for a number of specialities, including ENT and the health board should be implementing the recommendations of the ENT Planned Care Board to help improve waiting times. The health board was also provided with additional funding in 2017-18 to improve waiting times and they used some of this funding to run additional sessions locally.