'Dramatic rise' in paediatric waiting times affecting children
A new report shows an increase in waiting times for children’s community health services, with many health boards seeing demand double
Last updated 18th Jun 2025
A new report shows an increase in waiting times for children’s community health services, with many health boards seeing demand double
A report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) highlights the devastating consequences of prolonged underinvestment in community healthcare, and the growing waiting lists faced by children and young people as a result.
RCPCH Officer for Wales, Dr Nick Wilkinson, says:
"Children and young people are too often overlooked, with services focused on adult pressures.
"Despite the Welsh Government’s aim to deliver care closer to home, community child health remains underfunded- with too few health visitors, continence nurses and speech and language therapists.
"These gaps have serious consequences, from poor school readiness to long-term health issues and we’re seeing the impact of this on all our services
"Early intervention is vital, yet growing waiting lists and delays are leaving children without the timely care they need. The Welsh Government must act now."
Waiting times per hospital in Wales:
- Aneurin Bevan: waiting lists for community paediatrics increased 117% from 150 in 2015 to 326 by 2024.
- Betsi: community paediatric waits have increased from 805 in 2018 to 8,986 in 2025. The equivalent of a 1016% increase.
- Cardiff: community paediatric waiting lists have grown by 302% since 2018, from 1239 to 4,990. Number of community paediatricians decreased by 8% during this time.
- Cwm Taf: The number of children waiting for a community paediatric service fell from 141(2023) to 135 (2025). The number of under 18s waiting for neurodevelopmental services rose from 2,173 in 2023 to 3,391 by the 1 January 2025. A rise of 56%
- Hywel Dda: The number of children waiting for community paediatric services has increased by 4.1% between 2018- 2025, rising from 1,477 to 1,538. The number waiting for an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment has risen by 781% since 2018 and the number waiting for an ADHD assessment have risen by 331% since 2018
- Powys: The Health Board employs three community paediatricians, and has 119 children waiting for community paediatric services and 1,109 for ND services a rise of 112% (2022-2025)
- Swansea: Number of children waiting for community paediatric services increased by 112% since 2020, from 597 to 1,271. The average number of weeks risen from 36 weeks to 80
RCPCH are now calling on the Welsh Government to 'deliver on its long-standing ambition of care closer to home by investing in early years support and ensuring adequate staffing across disciplines like community paediatrics, speech and language therapy, and mental health'.
James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative representative for health says:
“Waits across the board are too high, but to see numbers, under Welsh Labour, remain so high for children is shameful.
“The RCPCH are right to call the situation “unsustainable”, we need to see these figures addressed, with staffing shortages clearly a key sticking point.
“The Welsh Conservatives agree with the RCPCH, we need to see early years support invested in. We also need to see a substantial workforce plan brought forward to better tailor staffing needs and boost children’s specialist numbers across the Welsh NHS.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson says:
“We take improving children’s health seriously. We’ve invested £50m to help health boards tackle waiting times and have seen great improvements in speech and language therapy and children’s mental health waits over the last 12 months.
“We’re currently investing £294m into health professional education and training in Wales and we continue to work with health boards to ensure that children are supported to have the best healthy start to life.”