Politician shines a national spotlight on the health injustice facing Powys patients

Following my last article on Powys Teaching Health Board’s decision to artificially extend waiting times, I have continued to fight for Powys residents in Westminster. 

I secured and led a Parliamentary debate to shine a national spotlight on the injustice facing patients in our area.

In Powys, we rely heavily on hospitals in Herefordshire and Shropshire because there is no major hospital within the county.

Yet under the Health Board’s new policy, Powys patients will now be subject to longer Welsh NHS waiting times, even when being treated in hospitals that operate under faster English NHS targets. This is fundamentally unfair and entirely avoidable.

I want to thank the many constituents who wrote to me with their experiences. Their voices shaped the debate and helped me set out the real human impact behind this policy.

I highlighted cases like Agnes, from Llandrindod, who has Parkinson’s Disease and now faces a two-year wait for a knee replacement. The prolonged delay is worsening her symptoms and threatening her independence.

I also raised the case of Kelly, who was diagnosed with serious spinal disc problems last year. Two planned surgeries were cancelled, and she later discovered on her own that her operation had been pushed back by at least another year under the new system. She remains in constant pain and has already lost her job as a result.

These incidents reflect a wider pattern of people in Powys having their treatment delayed for non-clinical reasons, simply because of where they live; and that is unacceptable.

In the debate, I made three clear asks of the UK Government.

First, to convene a meeting with devolved administrations to finally address cross-border healthcare failures, and to involve border MPs who see these issues every day.

Secondly, to fund interoperable NHS IT systems so clinicians on both sides of the border can safely and instantly access patient information.

Thirdly, to work with devolved Governments to give the cross-border Statement of Values and Principles legal force, turning it into a real and enforceable guarantee for patients.

The Minister did not commit to any of these proposals, which is deeply disappointing. But I will continue to push both Governments to act. People in Powys deserve timely, fair access to healthcare, and I will not stop fighting until we get it.

If I can be of assistance at any time, please contact me at david.chadwick.mp@parliament.uk or on 01792 316380. 

Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick