New NHS figures show improvement in parts of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s waiting lists, with those waiting more than two years for treatment now making up less than one per cent of the total—down from 2.2 per cent in January 2025.
Cancer care, therapies, and A&E performance have continued to decline.
The number of patients waiting more than a year for a first outpatient appointment has also fallen.
Diagnostic performance has improved, with the proportion of patients breaching the eight-week target dropping from 60.8 per cent to 48 per cent.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said its £120 million investment had delivered 127,000 additional appointments and that the longest waits were continuing to fall across Wales.
Therapies, however, have seen worsening delays.
The share of patients waiting longer than the 14-week target jumped from 2.7 per cent in January 2025 to 8.9 per cent—more than three times higher in less than a year.
Cancer care performance dropped, with only 60.7 per cent of patients beginning treatment within the 62-day target, down from 65.6 per cent.
Neither figure meets the Welsh Government’s cancer treatment goal.
A&E performance has also slipped, with just 58.5 per cent of patients seen within four hours—down from 62.4 per cent.
The proportion waiting longer than 12 hours increased from 7.9 per cent to 8.2 per cent.
First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “Seven months of the waiting list falling. The longest waits down by more than 90% from their peak. Tens of thousands more outpatient appointments delivered. This is real progress that’s making a massive difference to people’s lives.
“I made a commitment to the people of Wales to cut the waiting list and the longest waits. That’s exactly what is happening.
“These aren’t just numbers – they are real people having treatment in Welsh hospitals and clinics from hard working and dedicated NHS staff. What they do matters enormously.
“It’s important this momentum is kept up. We will continue to work hard every day alongside the NHS so everyone who needs it receives timely treatment.
Peter Fox MS, chair of the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee and the new Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said: “It is clear that after 27 years of Plaid-backed Labour Governments, our NHS is broken. In some areas, the situation is getting worse.
“Ambulance red call response times have gotten worse and the longest emergency department waits have shot up over 10%. It’s clear that Labour and Plaid are failing those in need of emergency care.
“The Welsh Conservatives have a credible plan to fix our NHS. We will declare a health emergency, increase the number of beds in our hospitals, establish an NHS Wales Reserves Service to provide additional resilience in times of peak pressure to improve patient flow and cut waits.”
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has been approached for comment.
The all-Wales data is for December 2025, while the health board-level breakdown covers November 2025.
The next quarterly performance report is due in March 2026.
