Health board delays patient operations cuts

Plans to cut inpatient procedures for local residents at hospitals in Shrewsbury and Telford have been delayed.

There was outrage this week after it emerged that Powys Teaching Health Board planned to ask health service providers to reduce treatments and procedures as part of cost cutting measures.

The health board is facing a £22 million deficit this year.

Today, the health board was due to discuss implementing a range of measures. It only agreed to a recruitment freeze and reducing expenditure on agency staff.

A health board statement said: “As a health board our first and foremost priority is to ensure the best possible health and healthcare for the people of Powys. But, approaching the end of 2024/25, the financial climate for the NHS across the UK remains very challenging. This is reflected in our own financial position here in Powys. 

“At our meeting, the Board gave very careful consideration to a number of additional measures that could be taken before the end of March 2025. These include asking hospital providers in England to slow down the delivery of planned care activity including outpatient appointments and inpatient procedures.”

It added: “This is a highly sensitive issue and was subject to robust and rigorous discussion by Board members. These discussions acknowledged the very real impact on patients who are waiting for a planned procedure – particularly given the considerable rise in waiting times since the start of the COVID pandemic – but also the very significant consequences if we do not take further action to improve the financial position of the health board.

“Recognising the impact and potential consequences, the Board endorsed that further discussions should take place with providers of planned care services in England in order to further develop the assessment of potential savings and finalise the integrated impact assessment.”

A final decision on the 

The Board will make a final decision in public at a future date.