Enough waiting: Llais wants urgent action on emergency care in Wales

The message is clear: urgent and emergency care is failing too many people, and change is too slow. 

Despite multiple strategies, plans, commitments and projects, for example those set out in A Healthier Wales, the Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care, and the introduction of the Duty of Quality, people are not seeing real improvements. 

This crisis must not be accepted as "just how things are." 

 What people are telling us 
People across Wales have shared their experiences, highlighting serious gaps in care: 

• Long waits – many waited 8–24 hours, often in overcrowded corridors. One person said, “I waited all night in a corridor with bright lights and noise. I felt like no one cared.” 
• Overcrowded and inaccessible spaces – Many waiting areas do not meet the needs of disabled people, neurodivergent people, or children. A parent shared, “My autistic son found the waiting room unbearable. There was nowhere quiet or calming.” 
• Ambulance delays and access issues – People arranged their own transport due to ambulance delays, facing parking chaos and unclear signage. One person said, “I had no choice but to drive myself, even though I felt terrible.” 
• Strain on staff – People appreciate the dedication of NHS staff but see they are overwhelmed and stretched beyond capacity. One person said, “They’re doing their best, but it’s clear they don’t have enough support.” 
•  When people are seen, people feel their care is generally good. Many people told us that once they were seen by healthcare professionals, they received good care. However, the long waits, lack of communication, and overcrowding make the overall experience stressful and frustrating, and too often feels unsafe. 

Wales must act now 

Alyson Thomas, CEO of Llais, said: 

"The voices we’ve heard paint a stark picture of a system under immense pressure. While we commend the dedication of healthcare staff, they are working in a system that is not giving them or the people they care for the support they need. 

Welsh Government and NHS Wales must act now to turn strategies and plans into meaningful change. Immediate improvements are essential to ease the current crisis, but we also need a clear programme of action to make sure emergency care is fit for the future.” 

Time for action – if not now, when? 

Professor Medwin Hughes, Chair of Llais, said: 

"Emergency care in Wales is at breaking point. 

What we heard from patients and staff across the country exposes a system under extreme and unsustainable pressure, where the well-being of both patients and healthcare professionals is at significant risk. 

People across Wales are asking for timely, dignified care, and they deserve nothing less. People need urgent answers: what will make things better, and who will make sure real change happens. 

The Welsh Government and NHS Wales have set out strong principles, but principles alone will not fix a system in crisis. Now is the time for action. Strong leadership and collaboration are essential to deliver real change for people and communities. "

Now is the time for action. A national conversation, involving both patients and professionals, must take place to rebuild trust and confidence in the NHS. The situation demands nothing less. 

What needs to change? 
Llais is calling for urgent action—not more plans, but clear leadership and delivery. 

Focus on joined-up action and accountability 
Use existing partnerships, oversight and escalation mechanisms to drive real improvements. 

Make responsibilities clear for everyone — who is making sure emergency care improves, and what happens when standards are not met. 

Reduce waiting times and overcrowding 
Improve coordination across health and social care to prevent system bottlenecks. 

Make sure emergency care spaces are accessible for everyone, focusing on meeting people’s individual needs. 

Prioritise dignity and comfort 
Make sure everyone is cared for and treated in appropriate, dignified spaces. 

Provide and maintain clean, safe, comfortable environments that respect people’s dignity. 

Do the small things that make a big difference to people’s experience, like food and drinks and comfortable chairs. 

 Embed people’s voices in change 
Use real-time feedback from people using services to drive on-going action and improvement. 

Introduce new measures of performance that focus on the things that matter most to people needing emergency care. 

Make emergency care data on people’s experiences and outcomes publicly available so it’s easy to see what people are saying and what action is taken in response. 

Spread what works 
Share and implement what works well for people across Wales, not just in individual health boards. 

Move forward with a "justify or adopt" approach,  so changes that make things better for people happen faster across Wales. 

Read our Position Statement and Full Report