Can people power end waiting lists scandal?
The health board needs to plug a looming shortfall in its finances which is approaching £40 million, and took the decision last week to press ahead with the controversial plans that were binned once on January.
But Cllr Joy Jones, the anti-poverty campaigner for Powys, launched the petition last night which is already on its way to 1,000 signatures.
“We have to be heard and without everyone supporting this we will end up with no equality, a health postcode lottery, second class citizens and feeling discriminated against,” said Cllr Jones.
“Stand up for your health. Wales shouldn’t have such lengthy waiting times. Health was devolved from the UK because they promised Wales a better health care. When is this going to happen?
“We have issues with the air ambulance, road ambulance, shortage of GPs, cut backs in the community hospitals, hardly any NHS dentists. So many services have stopped and now this.
“They have stripped away the last shred of fairness we had - being treated as equals to other patients in English hospitals. Now, they leave us waiting endlessly for the same care that someone living just over the border would receive without delay. It is a cruel and unjust blow that erases the dignity and equality we deserve.”
The petition calls on the Welsh Government to take immediate action.
Cllr Jones said that the First Minister, Eluned Morgan, stated on a visit to Welshpool on January 25 that “I don’t want to see people in Powys suffer, and I certainly don’t want them to go to the back of the queue if they are going to be treated across the board in England”.
The petition goes to urge the Welsh Government to plug the deficit and provide additional funding to (PTHB).
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