The scrapping of plans to delay operations for Powys patients has been described as a ‘victory for common sense' by a local politician.

Powys Teaching Health Board discussed plans to tackle NHS funding pressures early in January by putting forward a proposal to increase waiting times for cross-border treatment by up to 11 weeks.

As Powys has no district general hospital, nearly half of patients in the area receive their care in England.

Both Welsh Conservative Members of the Senedd for Powys, James Evans and Russell George have been engaging with the Health Board to achieve a change in proposal.

The Health Board, at its meeting last Wednesday dropped the plan, and Health Board Members unanimously approved no changes to elective activity in quarter 4 of 2024/25. 

James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and Senedd Member for Brecon and Radnorshire said: “This is a victory for common sense and shows what Welsh Conservatives can achieve even in opposition.

“The proposal should never have been considered in the first place, but is a symptom of Labour’s failure to adequately fund health in rural Welsh communities, like Powys.

“Welsh Conservatives like myself and my colleague Russell George have applied this pressure and delivered a change in policy. This makes me more optimistic about the positive change we could deliver to fix Wales in government.”

Welsh Conservative Senedd Member for Montgomeryshire, Russell George MS added: “I welcome Powys Teaching Health Board’s decision to drop plans that would have seen a delay in treatment for Powys patients in English hospitals.

“My focus now is to bring about change, ensuring our local Health Board is adequately funded so that this threat does not arise again in the future.

“The Welsh Labour Government also needs to look at other fundamental challenges, such as better supporting rural health boards, tackling workforce shortages, and addressing service demand—all of which are essential for ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the NHS in Wales.”

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick said: “I am extremely pleased to see these plans pulled by the Health Board. They were never appropriate and they would have put patient wellbeing at risk.

“I was proud that Liberal Democrat representatives worked closely with the public to make sure these plans never saw the light of day.

“However, the situation that forced the Health Board into this corner remains, with the Welsh Labour Government insisting the Health Board makes £23 million in budget cuts.

“Welsh Labour needs to understand the challenges of providing health care in a rural county like ours which doesn’t have its own hospital.

Liberal Democrat Mid and West Wales Senedd Member Jane Dodds MS added: “It is absolutely right these plans have been pulled.

“We cannot allow more and more of our services in Mid Wales to be downgraded.

“I will continue to fight for health care services and for more of them services to be delivered in the community.”