Michael German AM, "Waiting times in Monmouthshire are still too long"

4.40.17pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 16th Aug 2005

Michael German Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales East, has expressed his disappointment in the latest published NHS waiting times, which shows that many of the Welsh Assembly Government's targets are not being met in Monmouthshire.

The Government's target is for all those waiting for their first outpatient appointment to be seen within 12 months. However, the latest figures for Monmouthshire Local Health Board show 429 people waiting for their first outpatient appointment.

Furthermore, the Welsh Assembly Government's inpatient target is also set at under 12 months. Whilst there are only 36 people on the inpatient treatment list, this figure has more than doubled since March.

Mr German said: "These figures illustrate what we all know from personal experience - waiting times are just too long. Our hospitals are under enormous pressure and if the Welsh Assembly Government is serious about meeting its own targets it is going to have to invest in more staff and more facilities.

"The Welsh Liberal Democrats would tackle waiting times by recruiting more staff, introducing elective surgery schedules on a 24-hour cycle, and establishing walk-in health centres to relive some of the pressure on A+E."