Written statement (Wales) on Reporting of referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times data - BCUHB - Mar 13

Jeremy Miles, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: On 27 November, I announced the publication of referral to treatment (RTT) data for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board had been suspended, pending the outcome of an external investigation into the quality and governance of data.

It found the issue arose from the handling of a specific data code, which led to under-reporting of patient pathways. This was a data management issue, not a patient treatment issue. RTT publication of the missing data for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the all-Wales position resumed on 13 January 2026. I am today publishing the review team's final report, which identifies recommendations for the health board and NHS Wales.

There has been much debate in the Senedd recently about how NHS waiting times are collected and presented. The Chief Statistician has reviewed the statistics releases and has identified opportunities to make it clear – in the monthly statistical report and in the associated datasets – that the headline RTT figures are collected and reported on a provider basis. These changes will be visible in the health board data being published on 19 March.