LATEST data showing that only around one in two cancer patients in Wales receiving their first treatment within the target of 62 days is “deeply concerning”, politicians have said.

The latest NHS performance figures for May, released this month, show that NHS waiting lists have increased by 5,000 patient pathways from the previous month.

It is the third consecutive month there has been an increase.

Data shows there has also been an increase of over 1,600 patient pathways opened following a new suspicion of cancer.

For cancer patients waiting for their first treatment, only around half (54 per cent) received their first treatment within the target time of 62 days - also worse compared to the previous month.

Meirionydd MS and Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and care, Mabon ap Gwynfor said: “5,000 more added to waiting lists, and only one in two cancer patients receiving their first treatment within target – this is a government that is continuing to fail to get to grips with the grid-lock in our NHS.

“Tackling the long-standing problems in our NHS starts and ends with treating staff fairly.

“Being able to provide staff with fair pay and safe working conditions has to be the first step, because if government is to reduce waiting times, they need the people there to do it.

“Let’s not forget there’s an impact not only on health outcomes from the original health concern, but can cause a toll in so many other ways too – on staff and patients.

“The impact on mental health of worry, or chronic pain cannot be understated, nor can the continued stress on staff having to work under such pressure.

“It is deeply concerning to see that the targets for seeing cancer patients are worsening.

“We know that the sooner cancer patients are seen and treated, the better their outcomes.

“This is a matter of life and death, not just a party-political issue and therefore we must see an improvement in this area as a matter of urgency – after all, it affects us all.”

The Welsh Government said that “although it is disappointing to see the overall numbers on the waiting list increased in May”, “more people started their first definitive cancer treatment in May than the previous month, and the number of pathways closed following the patient being informed they did not have cancer also increased.”

“In May, 54.1 per cent (931 out of 1,722) of pathways started their first definitive treatment within 62 days of first being suspected of cancer.

“This was 1.2 percentage points lower than the previous month, 0.7 percentage points lower than May 2022 and low in historical context.”

The figures also show a 12.4 per cent increase in the number of patients being diagnosed with cancer and that no health board has met the target of 80 per cent of cancer patients starting their first treatment within 62 days.