The recent heatwave in Wales has led to record demand on National Health Service (NHS) services, contributing to a rise in patient pathways for the third consecutive month. In July, emergency departments recorded the highest number of attendances ever in Wales, with an average of 3,357 patients per day.
Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, stated that the hot weather placed staff "under considerable strain" and contributed to incidents such as falls due to dehydration, dizziness, and fatigue. He noted that the July figures, typically associated with winter pressures, were "deeply concerning."
Despite the record demand, performance in emergency departments saw slight improvements. Four-hour and 12-hour waiting times remained off target, but average waiting times decreased to two hours and 57 minutes. Cancer services also showed progress against key targets, with the proportion of patients starting treatment within 62 days rising to 59.2% in June, even with a 17% increase in referrals for suspected cancer.
In June, the total number of patient pathways, representing a patient's journey through NHS services, reached nearly 698,400, an increase of approximately 8,700 from the previous month. These figures account for an estimated 547,500 individual patients, as many are on multiple waiting lists.
Hospital outpatient referrals also increased in June, averaging over 5,000 per day, a 13.4% rise compared to the prior month. This trend of increasing referrals has been steady in recent years.