NHS diagnostic and therapy service waiting times: April 2018 to March 2019

Diagnostic services

• For every month, the number of waits over 8 weeks was lower this year than almost every year since 2011-12 (except 2017-18 where it was higher in March).
• Hywel Dda and Powys Teaching had the lowest number of patients waiting over the target time for most months of 2018-19. Betsi Cadwaladr had the most patients waiting over the target time for most months, and the only health board that had an increase over the year (of 1,460 or 178.7%); it reached a peak in August 2018 (2,462), the highest since January 2015.
• Of all services, diagnostic endoscopy had the highest number waiting over the target time for every month of 2018-19, and the only service that had an increase over the year. Imaging and neurophysiology had the lowest or joint lowest for every month.

Therapy services

• For every month, the number of waits over 14 weeks was lower this year than every year since 2012-13.
• In 2018-19, Betsi Cadwaladr, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Cwm Taf had no patients waiting over 14 weeks in 11 months of the year. By March 2019, all health boards except Powys had no patients waiting over 14 weeks. Hywel Dda and Cardiff and Vale had the most waits over target of all health boards in each month, although by March 2019 they had no patients waiting over the target time.
• In 2018-19, arts therapies followed by speech language had the lowest number of patients waiting over target for most months of the year. With the exception of physiotherapy, the other services had no patients waiting over target time in one month of the year, although podiatry had two months with no patients over target.

New this year

An interactive dashboard has been published alongside the bulletin. It provides an interactive analysis with more detail, including breakdowns by local health board and diagnostic and therapy type.