More needs to be done to eliminate patients waiting more than two years, the Welsh Government Health Minister has said, as latest figures show that almost 30,000 people are facing treatment delays of more than 24 months.

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan has written to health board chairs setting out her “appreciation for the huge strides made by NHS workers in clearing waiting lists”, with 96 per cent of pathways on waiting lists now under two years, but has emphasised “disappointment” that targets were missed and said that “more needs to be done to eliminate the longest waits.”

While two year waits have reduced by 55 per cent since the Welsh Government set a target to eliminate them, 27,400 patients were still waiting more than two years in March this year, latest figures show.

The figure is down from 60,084 in March last year.

The majority of those waits are in seven speciality areas, the Welsh Government said, that were “recognised as difficult to clear when the ambitious targets were set a year ago.”

Those areas are Dermatology, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Urology, Gynaecology, Orthopaedics and Ear, Nose and Throat.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and care, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said that the missed targets raise “serious questions” about “Labour’s credibility” in terms of running the NHS.

““Now we’re into spring, it’s clear that we’re no longer talking about seasonal pressures – we’re talking about a deep rooted inability to get to grips with the grid-lock in our NHS,” Mr ap Iorwerth said.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I have written to the health boards to express my disappointment that they have not hit the target for people waiting over two years for treatment.

“I want to see more innovation, like at Ysbyty Gwynedd, where more than 90 per cent of breast cancer surgery is performed as day cases, allowing patients to be managed more efficiently and recover more comfortably and sooner at home.

“The most urgent cases must still be prioritised, but I expect health boards to work through their waiting lists more quickly.

“This includes by treating in-turn; increasing significantly the number of the longest waits through more day cases; provision of dedicated ring-fenced planned care beds; more efficient use of theatres; and reducing cancellations, late starts and early finishes of surgery.

“While I am disappointed that health boards have missed their two-year waiting list target, I am pleased to see significant improvements have been made and I will continue to hold health boards to account.”