AN EXTRA £30 million of funding for councils to help cut hospital waiting lists was announced today by the Welsh government.

The additional cash is intended to strengthen community-based social care services to help people stay well at home and ensure they can safely be discharged from hospital care.

The funding was part of the deal Welsh Labour had to reach with Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds to get its Budget through the Senedd.

Social care minister Dawn Bowden said: “The funding we are making available to local authorities will make a real difference to people across Wales who need care and support.

“By investing in community-based support, we can help more people return home from hospital when they’re medically ready and enable others to remain independent in their communities.”

When First Minister Eluned Morgan took office, she promised to drastically reduce hospital waiting lists, especially those waiting more than two years.

Ms Morgan set a target of reducing waits of two years to 8,000 by March 2025.

But monthly waiting times rose earlier this summer, with the number of people waiting over two years for treatment increasing to more than 9,600 patients.