READERS of our website appear to have hit the nail on the head with their comments on waiting times at Gwent accident and emergency departments.

Latest figures show nearly 1,000 patients who attended A&E at the Royal Gwent and Nevill Hall waited more than four hours.

Assembly targets say 95 per cent of patients should be seen inside four hours.

Waits for assessment and delays in finding beds for patients requiring admission are among the most persistent problems.

But comments left on our website by readers point the finger of blame for long waits at those who visit A&E with minor ailments.

And we agree.

People should not assume they can go to an emergency room with a relatively minor cut, bruise or illness and expect to be seen straight away.

The genuine emergencies, as our readers point out from first-hand experience, are always dealt with swiftly and efficiently.

Time wasters are rightly put at the back of the queue and shame on any of them who moan at having to wait a long time.

If they stayed away, our A&E departments would run smoother and meet these ambitious targets that they are now burdened with.