The Welsh Government’s Health Minister has been asked to account for her part in the decision taken by Powys Local Health Board to extend waiting time targets for its patients by a further 10 weeks.
Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, made a request to the Government’s Business Minister, Jane Hutt AM, to find time in its business schedule, to allow the Health Minister to make an urgent statement on waiting time delays before the Assembly rises for the Christmas Recess.
Mr George, who alongside local MP, Glyn Davies, unearthed the revelations that Powys Health Board were extending referral to treatment times because of budgetary pressures, told the Assembly that constituents had come to his office in tearful distress because they were being forced to wait in pain and discomfort to be treated. He said the Health Minister had a number of questions to answer regarding the waiting time targets it sets Local Health Boards, as well as what the Government expected from them given the impossible financial position it had put them in due to budget cuts.
Mrs Hutt responded to the Assembly by saying that the Welsh Government had made it clear to all Health Boards that they had a duty to comply with its waiting time targets - which is to treat 95% of patients by 26 weeks and 100% of patients by 36 weeks - and it expect them to continue to work on this basis.
She added that government officials had spoken to Powys Local Health Board to seek assurances that where letters were issued to service providers, that they would be contacted and the position clarified. However, she also asked the AM where he had specific evidence of people in distress that he could raise it directly with the Minister for further investigation.
Commenting, Mr George said:
“I wanted the Government to find time in its schedule to bring forward an urgent statement because the people of Montgomeryshire are feeling ever more marginalised by this Government and they quite rightly want assurances regarding future health services in Mid Wales.
“While I’m unhappy the Minister will not avail herself to questions in the Chamber, I am pleased she’s willing to meet with me to discuss individual cases and I will take that opportunity to raise Lynda Green’s situation with her.”
Mr George is due to meet with the Chief Executive of Powys Health Board, Andrew Cottom, later this week (Friday) to discuss the wider implications of the proposed waiting time delay.
The AM also took the opportunity to raise the issue with the First Minister during weekly questions. The AM told Mr Jones that people living in Montgomeryshire felt they were being penalised for living in Mid Wales and that the Government needed to bring forward a distinct Mid Wales Health Plan to ensure they had a health service they really deserved.