Why the wait for operation?

What is going on at Powys Health Board? My mother is 87 and needs a serious neurological operation. But although her doctor requested an urgent appointment at Gobowen Hospital in February, we are still waiting for a reply.

Her condition has deteriorated rapidly over the 10 weeks she has been there and there is a serious risk of permanent damage to her spinal cord. This is not a matter to be constantly deferred to yet another meeting, or worse, just ignored.

I am told that everything is held up by Powys Health Board, which has no money left to pay for such treatment.

And yet she has been in Welshpool Community Hospital since January which, according to Powys Health Board's own strategy document is more expensive than an acute trust bed and at least seven times as expensive as a nursing home bed.

The same strategy also says that rapid, cohesive and responsive multi-agency team working, is essential. Delayed discharges result in financial and other resources not being available to treat other patients and are bad for the morale, care and health of patients.

Cannot our politicians put pressure on Powys Health Board to support their doctors and nurses instead of making them feel so let down?

I have concluded that I must pay for a private initial consultation. What a terrible reflection on our much-vaunted National Health Service. I only hope that the operation, if it can still be done, will not be further delayed.

V M Edwards, Welshpool