THE number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in A&E departments across the Cardiff and Vale Health Board has trebled since January according to latest figures from StatsWales.

In March, 380 patients experienced a wait of more than 12 hours in A&E, compared to 111 in January.

In January the percentage of patients who were at A&E for less than four hours stood at 75.7 per cent, the four hour target for Cardiff and the Vale was missed in April with a drop in performance to 74.1 per cent.

Speaking about the latest figures, South Wales Central regional assembly member Andrew RT Davies said Welsh Labour's plan to end 12 hour or more waits in A&E "needs to be reviewed with utmost importance".

He said: "These figures are further evidence of Labour’s mismanagement of our healthcare system and unfortunately it is patients and hardworking frontline staff who are left paying the price.

“Going into the fifth Assembly, patients will rightly want to see improvements and a Welsh Government which is willing to tackle the problems head on."

A Welsh Government spokesman said that the figures followed a pattern of "significant peaks in activity" over the winter period.

He said: "Despite the ongoing pressure on staff and services, eight in 10 patients who presented at emergency departments in April spent less than four hours from their arrival until admission to a hospital bed, or being sent home following treatment.

"The latest available figures show that the average length of time spent by a patient in an emergency care facility was two hours and 26 minutes.

“There was a reduction in the number of patients spending 12 hours or more in an emergency care facility before admission to a hospital bed or being sent home in April.

"However, we expect Local Health Boards to eliminate instances where patients face lengthy delays in emergency care facilities and will continue to monitor delivery of care closely.”