Health Secretary, Jeremy Miles, was told that it’s ludicrous that Welsh patients might not be seen as quickly as English patients for financial reasons
Powys Teaching Health Board, which is currently grappling with a significant budget deficit, is considering controversial measures to reduce costs, including extending waiting times for treatment for Powys patients.
Montgomeryshire MS, Russell George, has asked Jeremy Miles MS this week (07/01/2025), to urgently intervene, and said it cannot be the case that Powys patients are not seen for financial reasons.
Mr Miles responding to Mr George’s questions said that the Health board ‘’has to balance its books, and it has to provide timely care for the residents of Powys. It is often very challenging to do that, but, clearly, that is the requirement of every health board in Wales, and Powys is no different in that respect.’’
The health board will meet this Friday (10 January), to discuss a series of proposed actions aimed at addressing the financial shortfall. Measures under consideration include intentionally increasing waiting times for elective procedures and outpatient appointments, particularly in English hospitals serving Powys patients, despite there being capacity at NHS hospitals serving the region.
If approved, the longer waiting times could take effect as early as next week and they could increase by between 5 to 11 weeks, in order to help the Health Board get closer to balancing its books.
Reacting to the Health Secretary’s response, Mr George said:
‘’Under what is being proposed, a Welsh NHS Health Board is effectively telling colleagues in England that they are treating patients too quickly and they can’t afford to pay.
Following the news that Powys patients could be made to wait weeks longer for treatment due to Powys Health Boards financial situation, I urgently raised this with the Health Secretary.
It would be ludicrous if people from Wales had to wait longer for an operation than English patients in the same hospital, being treated by the same health professionals, simply because a Welsh NHS Health Board can’t afford to pay.
I was disappointed in the Cabinet Secretary’s answer. He responded that Powys Health Board is no different to other areas, but we know Powys is different because it is the only Health Board in Wales that does not have any district General Hospitals within the health board area, and has no option, other than to send patients for treatment outside of its own area.’’