The Welsh Government has unveiled plans to cut waiting lists and end two-year waits.

Health and Care Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor has announced an extra £145 million will be invested in NHS Wales this financial year.

This includes £100 million to support the Welsh Government’s aims of reducing NHS waiting times, £25 million in new surgical and diagnostic hubs, and £20 on essential maintenance across the NHS estate.

The plan sets out how Health Boards will work together to target the longest waits, improve productivity, expand sustainable capacity and continue transforming planned care services.

Mabon ap Gwynfor said: "Waiting two years for planned care is not acceptable. This investment is tied to Health Boards changing how they work, permanently, so the progress I expect to see doesn't slip back as it has in the past. That's the difference between a short-term fix and lasting change.

"Patients should receive timely advice, diagnosis and treatment through services that are designed around their needs, not around organisational boundaries.

"Alongside additional capacity, we are supporting changes that make services more sustainable, including better referral management, increased diagnostic capacity, more surgical hub activity and improved follow-up arrangements.

"None of this is possible without the hard work and expertise of NHS staff. Their leadership sits at the heart of this approach, and every Health Board must now work together to deliver further improvements for patients."

NHS Wales national clinical directors of planned care and consultant surgeons, Richard Egan and Ken Harries said: "This approach can see the service transformation required to deliver high quality, prudent, and efficient care for the people of Wales.

"This investment will enable effective use of current capacity, the development of efficient surgical and diagnostic hubs, and significant reductions in waiting times."