Delayed transfer of care is putting patients' lives at risk, BMA Cymru Wales has said, as data has revealed that thousands of patients are waiting to be discharged from hospitals across Wales.

Data compiled by the BBC shows that in Hywel Dda, the average discharge delay is 33 days, while its 34 days in Betsi Cadwaladr.

The data reveals that across Wales last year 1,594 people who were fit to leave stayed in hospital because of care or assessment delays.

Dr Phil White, deputy chair of the BMA’s Welsh council said: “Behind each ‘statistic’ is a person, stuck in a setting that is inappropriate to their care and this is causing unnecessary harm.

“Harm to patients who are prevented from rehabilitation and harm to patients waiting for hospital treatment.

“This is a national emergency and it’s reflected in the gruelling accounts by our members who have told us about treating patients in corridors, on chairs and in the back of ambulances.

“Alarmingly, these circumstances are putting patients across Wales at significant risk, the longer they wait for timely care in hospital or at home waiting for an ambulance the longer their condition deteriorates.

“The scant availability of ambulances in the community caused by ambulances waiting to transfer patients outside hospitals is hugely concerning.

“Our GP members have told us about waiting hours for ambulances to attend to patients at their surgeries.

“The inability to manage the flow of patients through the whole Health and Care system is a huge part of the problem.

“It is complex – the problems and solutions relate to workforce, demand management, ambulance offloading, flow and discharge back into the community.

“The reality is we’ve been raising these issues for years and our warnings have fallen on deaf ears.

“There is a fundamental lack of joined-up thinking across the Welsh NHS and social care and there is an urgent need for a collaborative approach.

“The system needs a radical shake-up to create a seamless service between the NHS, social care and community services working in partnership to meet needs of patients effectively, as well as significant investment in the system and the workforce.”

The Welsh government said it was “committed to improving the process for people leaving hospital” and that "community services are being increased so people can live and age well at home, avoid unnecessary admission to hospital and return home quickly where hospital care was necessary.”