NHS activity and performance summary

In November 2025, reporting of referral-to-treatment (RTT) waiting list data for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) was temporarily suspended following concerns about data quality. These concerns included anomalies in reported waiting list sizes and inconsistencies with operational activity, which raised questions about the reliability of the data.

Since this suspension, RTT statistics continued to be published for Wales, excluding BCUHB, with guidance provided on how to interpret these figures.

An independent review of BCUHB’s data processes was carried out in December, involving NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, Digital Health and Care Wales, Welsh Government statistical services, and a peer health board. The review examined data collection, quality assurance, and governance arrangements. The underlying cause of the issue was identified, and the health board has now supplied revised data and provided assurances about improvements to its data and governance processes.

In line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, the Chief Statistician has determined that the revised RTT statistics should be published at the earliest opportunity. Updated figures for BCUHB and Wales will be released on 13 January 2026, including:

• revised data up to August 2025
• new figures for September and October 2025

This will bring Wales and all health boards fully up to date.

Official statistics must meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value. The actions taken have focused on restoring accurate and reliable reporting as quickly as possible to ensure these statistics continue to meet user needs.

The Office for Statistics Regulation has been informed of this decision.