A Bridgend resident recently got in touch to say they have been told by Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board that they can expect to wait up to two and a half years for a sleep clinic appointment to assess their sleep apnoea.
Sleep apnoea causes a person to temporarily stop breathing while asleep. If left untreated it can lead to other complications besides poor quality sleep.
The resident was first referred to a sleep clinic in 2024. When they recently asked for an update on progress, they were told that waiting lists were two-and-a-half-year timescale as their referral was routine and not urgent.
The condition is usually treated with a CPAP machine/air mask. When the resident contacted a sleep disorder charity, they were told that a few people had recently mentioned waiting times of 2+ years for sleep clinic appointments.
A BBC report from 2020 shows that 2 year waiting times were commonplace even before the Covid pandemic.
Private tests, prescriptions and treatment options are available, but the cost can run to several hundred pounds.
