A QUARTER of patients seeking emergency care were forced to wait over four hours in Betsi Cadwaladr’s hospitals.

In 2017/18, only 73.7 per cent of patients spent under four hours in accident and emergency departments in north Wales – the worst rate on record, according to Welsh Government statistics released last week.

The national target of 95 per cent of patients being seen within four hours has not been met in a decade, according to the Welsh Conservatives.

It was also confirmed that 38,904 patients spent longer than 12 hours in A&E – up 5,062 (15 per cent) on the previous year – despite the Welsh Government’s target that no patient should have to wait beyond 12 hours.

Across 2017/18, Betsi Cadwaladr was the worst performing health board in Wales.

The troubled health board saw 26.3 per cent of patients wait over the four-hour target, while 7.5 per cent had to wait over 12 hours.

Welsh Conservative and Shadow Health Secretary Angela Burns AM said: “When I talk to people across the country, they tell me the Welsh Government’s priority should be the NHS. Yet, here we are once again looking at numbers which paint are a far from acceptable picture of Wales’ health service.

“Having failed to reach the four-hour target in 10 years and with nearly 40,000 waiting over 12 hours to be seen, it is clear that the Welsh Labour Government is incapable of providing fairly basic healthcare.”

In reply to the Welsh Conservatives, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The vast majority of people who attend an emergency department are admitted to a hospital bed or discharged within the four-hour target. Last year we treated and discharged 19,000 more people within the four-hour target than the previous year.

“We have been open about the pressures on local departments and recognise more needs to be done. We are working with health boards to improve patient experience and outcomes as well as staff wellbeing. Despite cuts to our budget by the UK Government, our investment in the Welsh NHS has never been higher.”

See this week’s north editions for the full story, in shops and online on Thursday