"Blatantly discriminatory" says MP

Montgomeryshire's MP, Steve Witherden, has hit out at today's decision by the Powys Teach Health Board to "deliberately" increase patient waiting times.

He said the decision was "blatantly discriminatory".

The Board made the decision as part of cost cutting due to a black hole in finances (See previous stories). The impact will hit patients from North Powys awaiting procedures at hospitals in England, such as the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Steve Witherden MP said: “The decision to deliberately increase waiting times for Powys residents accessing healthcare in England appears to me to be blatantly discriminatory.

“I met with the Board’s chief executive on Thursday. It was hinted the issue had not gone away, but I was far from the impression that this ghastly plan was to be revived.

“My constituents will suffer for longer because of inadequate funding for rural healthcare.

“We have no district general hospital in Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr. Services are being scaled back or cut within and without Powys. We are completely reliant on cross-border healthcare – 40% of Powys healthcare is delivered in England.

“Welsh patients being effectively discriminated against in English hospitals because we do not have the money to pay for extra capacity is a red line. If PTHB cannot afford it, it needs more funding via a formal financial recognition for the unique status of healthcare in Powys.

“I questioned the First Minister during an evidence session of the Welsh Affairs Committee focused on cross-border healthcare in January. As you would expect, the number one thing she said she needed was more funding from the UK Government.

“We find ourselves again at the sharp edge of austerity. My constituents deserve much better.”