Following questioning from Montgomeryshire MS, Russell George, figures have been revealed regarding additional funding for health boards, which show Powys is missing out.
Last month, The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Jeremy Miles MS, announced that £50m would be made available immediately to health boards to increase capacity in the NHS in Wales and to commission activity from the private sector where available.
£40m has now been allocated, with Powys receiving just £265,000.
According to the NHS 111 My Planned Care website Powys waiting time figures for trauma and orthopaedics, treatment to speciality was an average of 37 weeks compares to 31 weeks, in Cardiff.
Some children in Powys are waiting for up to four years to be diagnosed for conditions such as autism as well, and Powys health board confirmed that some children have waited more than 200 weeks for a diagnosis for conditions that lead to additional learning needs.
Commenting after his questioning, Mr George said:
‘’It’s clear to me that Powys is again, being shortchanged by the Welsh Government. We have people waiting a very long time on waiting lists and the people of Powys deserve to be taken seriously.
‘’We know that here in Powys, we have to travel further for treatment than most, including across boarder. So receiving our fair share of funding is essential for paying other health boards both in Wales and England for treatment.
“The Health Secretary has attempted to avoid answering my questions, only when I have asked via a specific written question, he has provided me with the answer. It is not a surprise that he didn’t want to reveal this information. Of the 40 million provided so far, Cardiff is receiving 14.90 %, Cwm Taf is receiving 20.22% and Powys just 0.66%.
‘’I am disappointed but not surprised that the Welsh Government is completely disconnected from our rual communities.’’
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