Welsh Ambulance Handover Delays Drop Over 87% in June

Hospitals across Wales have seen significant improvements in ambulance handover times, with Royal Glamorgan Hospital reporting an 87% reduction and Morriston Hospital in Swansea a 70% drop in June compared to May. Nearly three-quarters of patients at Royal Glamorgan were transferred within 15 minutes, freeing ambulance crews to respond more quickly to urgent 999 calls. These improvements follow the establishment of a national, clinically-led taskforce aimed at reducing ambulance handover delays, with June handover times the lowest since September 2021. Despite these gains, pressure on emergency care services remains high, with June recording the third highest daily attendances at emergency departments on record. Average arrival-to-triage times improved to 16 minutes, the shortest since February 2021, but waiting lists for treatment have increased, highlighting ongoing challenges. Experts emphasize that sustained investment in NHS infrastructure and social care, along with a focus on prevention, are essential for achieving broader system improvements.