On the 5-year anniversary of a BBC story detailing the use of over a thousand fax machines in the Welsh NHS, Welsh Conservative research revealed that there are at least 435 still operational to this day and at least 14 have been purchased since 2020.

Hywel Dda University Health Board said that a 2016-17 audit showed it had 76 fax machines, yet Welsh Conservative FOIs reveal that they now have 397 fax machines currently operational.

Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, Russell George MS said:

“The public will be rightly baffled that there are still over 400 fax machines in use in our Labour-run Welsh NHS, with the technological relics still being purchased. The Conservative-run NHS in England stopped the purchase of fax machines in 2019.

“Surely updating our Welsh NHS should be a top priority so that Labour ministers can get on top of record waiting lists, which remain longer than the rest of the UK.

“The Welsh Conservatives have long been calling for a tech bundle to modernise our health service, whereas the Labour Welsh Government seem to be stuck in the 1960s.”

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said back in 2018 that it was moving from stand-alone machines to “more cost effective” devices that copy, print and scan, yet they are still using “20-25” fax machines and have purchased 10 since March 2020.

Powys Teaching Health Board still uses 18 fax machines.