WAITING times at Welsh Accident and Emergency units are the worst since records began, new figures have shown.

Significant pressures were felt across Welsh A&E units through their busiest December since 2009, with the number of people waiting more than four hours increasing.

New figures show that just 81 per cent of A&E patients were being seen within four hours, with the Welsh Government target being 95 per cent.

At the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff just 74.5 per cent of patients were seen with four hours.

At the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend this number was slightly higher, where 79 per cent of patients were seen within four.

Figures for the Royal Glamorgan were much higher at 93 per cent, which is still short of the Welsh Government’s target.

Deputy Health Minister and Assembly member for Cardiff South and Penarth Vaughan Gething said: “These figures show eight out of 10 people who went to A&E were assessed, treated and then admitted or discharged in less than four hours during December.

"Whilst different reporting mechanisms make it difficult to make direct comparisons with other parts of the UK, it is clear that all health services are experiencing significant pressures.

"I would like to thank everyone within the Welsh NHS for their unrelenting commitment to patient care during this difficult period.

“We have announced an extra £40m to help the NHS deal with winter pressures. This means we have invested a further quarter of a billion pounds in the Welsh NHS in 2014-15 to continue to deliver high-quality, sustainable health services.”

South Wales Central AM and Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies accused the Welsh Labour Government of running the Welsh NHS "into the ground" saying that blaming normal winter period pressures was no excuse following such a mild December.

“A&E waits in Wales are now the worst since records began," he said. "It is clear that urgent steps need to be taken by a Welsh Labour Government which has run the Welsh NHS into the ground since 1999.

“The winter period is always the most difficult for emergency services, but having had one of the mildest winters on record there is literally nowhere for Labour to hide.

“No patient should be forced to endure a wait of over 12 hours in A&E, but here in Wales, thousands of Welsh patients are suffering this indignity.”