NHS Wales: Call for scrapping of policy behind A&E confusion

Wales' health minister has been asked to scrap the policy at the heart of a row over A&E waiting times.

Earlier this week the Royal College of Emergency Medicine claimed that the true length of time some patients wait is not being accurately reflected in published figures.

The Welsh government firmly denied that was the case and said the college had misinterpreted data it was given.

Plaid Cymru now says the policy causing the confusion should be scrapped.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan has said she is discussing the matter with clinicians.

The issue raised by emergency doctors relates to "breach exemptions", where the clock can be stopped on a patient's wait in A&E if the department is deemed the safest place for their care.

The royal college claims that the full waiting time experienced by the patient, before they are able to leave A&E, is not included in official figures.

Plaid health spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor said the minister had tried to "frame the debate as a matter of presentational semantics" but the breach exemptions policy is "not fit for purpose".

He said that as the only UK nation to continue with this policy, it was time for it to be scrapped.

Ms Morgan said consultants themselves had asked for the mechanism to be introduced in 2011, but that the Welsh government is "actively engaging with clinical leaders and service users on how we can improve the quality of care in emergency departments".

For the Welsh Conservatives, Russell George said: "You are not counting accurately, so the health service can properly plan.

"You need to have accurate data in terms of how long people are waiting in A&E departments, especially as we plan for the winter, and that is absolutely crucial."

In response, the minister said: "I am more than happy for an independent person to come in to analyse our data, because I stand by our data."

Later, a Welsh government spokesperson added: "There is no confusion, health boards have been following these guidelines and provided assurances that they are reporting data correctly.

"It is not true to say Wales is the only UK nation to use this approach - our guidance, developed with clinicians at the time, is similar to approaches used in other parts of the UK and is in place to stop health boards feeling pressured to move people out of emergency departments simply to hit targets."