James Evans has asked the Welsh Government to urgently intervene amid news that patients in Powys could face longer waits for treatment as the health board explores cost-saving measures.

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.

James Evans, MS for Brecon and Radnorshire and Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care has asked the Welsh Government to urgently intervene.

He has accused the Welsh Labour Government of under-funding healthcare in the sparsely populated rural area of Powys.

Powys Teaching Health Board will meet this Friday (January 10), 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.

Currently, Powys patients face average waiting times of 29 weeks at Gobowen's Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, and 24 weeks at Shrewsbury and Telford District Hospitals. Under proposals being discussed this week, waiting times could increase by between 5 to 11 weeks, in order to help the Health Board get closer to balancing its books.

The health board’s financial challenges are compounded by its small allocation in new Welsh health funding of the £50 million that was provided to Welsh Health Boards just before Christmas.

James Evans, MS for Brecon and Radnorshire and Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, said: “The Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff Bay must intervene now to protect patients in Powys. This is not a case of there being no capacity to treat patients, it is quite the opposite. It is ridiculous that, despite there being capacity in NHS hospitals just over the border in England, patients from Powys will not receive treatment, because the local health board must meet Welsh Government financial targets. They are effectively saying that the English hospitals are performing too well and treating Welsh patients too quickly – that is frankly ridiculous.

“Delaying treatment on financial grounds will mean patients having to endure yet more pain and distress and add to the already significant pressures on the social care and GP services to manage these patients during the wait.

“The population of Wales is being let down by the decisions of the Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff Bay. The Welsh Labour Government has received more money this financial year than ever before, yet only a tiny fraction is being passed onto Powys Teaching Health Board. The rising costs of providing care in a sparsely populated rural area, with spiralling social care costs are all too clear to see in the Health Board’s growing budget deficit. The Welsh NHS consistently performs worse than in England. People already endure long waits for treatment, often in pain and discomfort, and this is the last news they need to hear.

“I have been vocal in my calls to reduce the top-heavy management structure at PTHB but even if they did this, it would not address the rising costs of delivering health services year on year.

“The population of Wales is being let down by the decisions of the Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff Bay and the 25 years of failure to manage the Welsh NHS effectively. The Welsh NHS consistently performs worse than in England.

“The Wales-wide health board model, the way services are delivered across Wales, needs a radical overhaul and review if the NHS is to survive in the years to come.”