THE number of patients who waited more than four hours to be dealt with in A&E units in Gwent, rose by more than a quarter in the year to June.

At June 30, 6,603 people had waited longer than the four-hour target in the area’s units in the previous year, up 28 per cent (5,153).

But that increase is solely attributable to the first six months - July to December 2016 - since then the number of breaches of the four-hour target has fallen slightly, against the comparable period (January to June 2016).

A minimum 95 per cent of patients should be dealt with inside four hours in Wales’ A&E units and no one should have to wait 12 hours or more - but the former target has not been achieved on a Wales-wide basis, while waits of 12 hours or more are common across acute hospitals.

In June, 437 patients waited more than four hours to be dealt with in Gwent’s A&E units, the smallest number since May 2016.

But the monthly figure has not dipped below 400 since December 2015, and the problem is proving difficult to tackle.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is developing a programme of action to try to ease demand on A&E units, ranging from improving discharge procedures to redesigning the assessment areas at the Royal Gwent Hospital, and the access arrangements for emergency and urgent cases at Nevill Hall.

Also key to minimising waits of longer than four hours, and eliminating those of 12 hours and longer, is encouraging people to seek alternatives to A&E if their condition is anything other than serious.