James Evans MS, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, has commented on the reports that record numbers of British patients are seeking private medical treatment overseas to avoid unacceptable NHS waiting times, highlighting that the crisis is far deeper in Wales after 26 years of Welsh Labour control. The failure to tackle the longest waits is now a national embarrassment. Despite repeated promises to eliminate them, the number of pathways waiting more than two years in Wales stood at 8,703 in August 2025. This contrasts brutally with England, where the equivalent figure was a mere 168 cases in July 2025, demonstrating an abject failure of leadership in the Senedd.
After more than a quarter of a century of Labour running the health service, Welsh patients are suffering from the longest waits in the UK, leading to desperation that forces them to risk their savings and their health by travelling thousands of miles.
James Evans MS, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said:
“It is truly heartbreaking to read that hundreds of thousands of people across the UK are so desperate and in so much pain that they are using their life savings to seek treatment overseas, risking complications and their own well-being. This is not medical tourism; it is a desperate flight from a failing health system. Under the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay, we consistently have the longest waiting times in the UK, and it is entirely predictable that Welsh patients are being driven to paying thousands to go abroad. This is the tragic consequence of 26 years of Labour mismanagement.
“In Wales, we still have over 8,700 pathways waiting over two years for treatment. This is completely unacceptable and proves that the Labour Government’s recovery plan is either non-existent or a total farce. Our patients wait longer in A&E, they wait longer for ambulances, and their median wait for treatment is consistently higher than in England, it is undeniable that Welsh Labour has driven our NHS into the ground and failed our nation.
“We simply cannot continue with the status quo. The Welsh Conservatives would declare a national Health Emergency to focus all resources and government effort on tackling these excessive waits. Our plan would prioritise immediate action to slash backlogs, increase transparency in performance data to drive accountability, and put the patient back in charge of their care choices. We must end the post-code lottery and the culture of missed targets. Welsh patients deserve an NHS that is world-class, not one that is consistently the worst performing in the UK. We must deliver the change the Welsh NHS desperately needs now.”
