Councillors call on First Minister to end Powys wait rise
A letter penned by the chairman of Powys County Council, William Powell, with the cross-party backing of councillors after a recent vote, has called for the end of a policy which has deliberately extended wait times for operations for Powys patients in England.
The policy, which came into effect earlier this month, deliberately lengthened wait times for patients being treated in English hospitals, which has seen some patients have to wait as much as an extra year for operations.
A motion for the letter was put forward by Cllr Beverley Baynham and seconded by Cllr Joy Jones received the backing of a full council meeting.
The vote voiced the opinion of councillors to 'oppose the discriminatory waiting time disparities and advocate for equitable treatment for Powys patients attending English hospitals'.
The letter by Cllr Powell calls on First Minister, Eluned Morgan, to intervene and asks that 'the Welsh Government to provide immediate funding support to Powys Teaching Health Board, addressing the challenges of cross-border healthcare commissioning and ensuring equitable access to timely care for Powys residents'.
It also demands "systemic changes in healthcare policies that ensure all patients, regardless of residency, receive fair and timely treatment".
In response to an enquiry by the County Times earlier this week, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: 'We remain committed to reducing waiting times and ensuring everyone in Wales – including those in Powys - has equitable and timely access to treatment.
'We have been clear that all NHS Wales organisations must plan and deliver services for their population in line with Welsh Government targets and within the financial and staffing resources available.'
The move builds on pressure from other local political figures. MP for Brecon and Radnorshire David Chadwick has raised the matter in Parliament, labelled the policy 'a disaster from start to end' and has now put together a petition calling for it to be scrapped.
The Labour MP for Montgomeryshire, Steve Witherden, has previously labelled the policy as 'ghastly' and 'blatantly discriminatory'.
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And Powys Senedd members have both been outspoken in their criticism.
James Evans MS was 'furious' with the decision and lodged urgent questions with the First Minister when the news broke back in March.
While Montgomeryshire MS Russell George previously told the First Minister: 'This decision risks creating a two-tier healthcare system where Powys residents, who depend on hospitals in Shrewsbury, Telford, Oswestry, and Hereford, are forced to wait longer than English patients, even when treated by the same clinicians in the same hospitals.'
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