Reader's concern about hospital waiting lists

A reader writes about the scandalous waiting times for endoscopies in Singleton Hospital. A patient waiting for one was told by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMU) “the waiting time in Swansea for an urgent endoscopy can be up to 35 to 40 weeks”. They gave no estimate for a non-urgent endoscopy.

The reader went on to say: "My God - is this what our NHS service has come to? I'm no medical expert but how can it be right to make someone with an urgent, possibly life threatening complaint, wait 40 weeks to be even seen. They could be dead by then! It's absolutely disgusting and I live in dread that either me or any of my family find themselves in this situation."

The reader is of the opinion that as far as our healthcare is concerned, we are fast becoming a third world country, led all the way to the grave by politicians.

A senior eye consultant at Singleton Eye Hospital said there was a large back-log of cases in his department and would welcome anyone writing to the Health Minister at the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff to express their concern if they feel they are not getting treatment with a reasonable time frame.

It seems that there are no complaints about the quality of medical attention, when you get it, but waiting for it is of serious concern.