GWENT hospitals are continuing to struggle to meet accident and emergency waiting time targets, latest figures show.

A total of 10,244 patients attended Gwent's two major A&E units at Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, and the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, in December last year, down from 10,198 in November.

In December, 8,154, 79.6 per cent, of the 10,244 patients seen in A&E were dealt with inside four hours, well short of the 95 per cent Assembly target.

A total of 9,496 patients. 92.7 per cent, spent less than eight hours in A&E in December.

In November, 8,719, 85.5 per cent of the 10,198 patients were dealt with inside four hours, with 9616, 94.3 per cent being seen within eight hours.

None of the seven Welsh health board areas managed to meet the Assembly target in December, with Gwent's Aneurin Bevan Health Board achieving the fifth worst figure.

Overall in Wales, a total of 60,529 people attended A&E departments in December, with 49,210 patients, 81.3 per cent, being seen with the four hour target.

A total of 1,795 patients were seen in other A&E and minor injury units in Gwent in December, with 98.9 per cent being seen within four hours and 99.7 per cent being seen within eight hours.

Nick Ramsay AM, shadow minister for health and social services, said: “These alarming figures show that despite the hard work and dedication of NHS staff, patients are not receiving the efficient and timely treatment they deserve.

“Waiting in an A&E Department for over four hours can cause enormous distress to patients, particularly young children and the elderly.”

Veronica German AM said there is a “systematic failure” in the way emergency and unscheduled care is dealt with by the NHS in Wales and said the NHS was being let down by the Assembly government.