The Wales NHS 111 website now provides information on waiting times by speciality at each health board. Whilst this doesn’t tell individuals where they are on the waiting list it does provide up to date information on the range of current waiting times for the speciality and health board for which they are waiting.

Ultimately, this aims to help people to understand how long they may need to wait. This is similar to the system in place in England but goes further in providing a more realistic understanding of the range of wait times from the average to where the majority have waited up to.

Anyone can access this information from the 111 website and we would encourage you to use this tool through the course of your contact with patients as a means of managing expectations and concerns around waiting times. You may also wish to directly signpost individuals to this information when they contact your practice seeking information on planned care waiting times.

The information will be updated monthly and provides additional information to support people whilst they are waiting, so is a useful tool in helping patients understanding of the position.