Russell George MS has asked for part of an additional £180m health uplift to be directed to Powys Health Board to end the two-tier system for Powys patients who are wating for treatment in English Hospitals.
From July 1st, some Powys patients have been waiting longer than English patients, when being treated in hospitals in England. The plans proposed by Powys Teaching Health Board were agreed in March. This has led to Powys patients facing slower access to treatment in English hospitals despite available capacity.
The health board said it needed to take this action to live within-their-means and to respond to the financial expectations set out by Welsh Government.
Earlier this month, The Welsh Government announced an additional £180 million pounds would be allocated to the Health and Social Care budget, as part of a budget deal negotiation with Plaid Cymru.
Member of the Senedd for Montgomeryshire, Russell George MS, last week (17/12/25) urged the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Mark Drakeford MS, to direct a portion of the Welsh Government’s £180 million health and social care spending increase to Powys Teaching Health Board, to end what he described in the Senedd as a completely unacceptable two-tier situation where Powys patients are treated more slowly than English patients, when waiting for treatment in English hospitals.
Mr Drakeford confirmed the overall £180m to increase to the health budget and said that Powys Health board would receive extra funding as part of the increase.
Following the exchange, the Conservative Shadow Health Secretary, James Evans MS, intervened to state that Mr Drakeford had not answered Mr George’s question about whether any of the £180m would be allocated to Powys for the particular challenges outlined. Mr Drakeford replied that money allocations within the health portfolio are a matter for the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.
Speaking after raising the matter in the Senedd, Russell George MS said:
“Asking health providers in England to slow down the delivery of care for Powys patients, despite there being sufficient capacity, is indefensible. It is not acceptable for Powys patients to be treated as second-class citizens.”
“As a result of the recent budget deal between the Labour Government and Plaid Cymru, £180 million pounds was allocated to the health budget in Wales. However, from the response I received in the Senedd from Finance Secretary Mark Drakford, it seems that the additional funding needed to end this the two-tier system was not part of any budget discussions, and he could not confirm if any of the additional millions would be paid to Powys Health Board in order that they could buy healthcare capacity in England based on English waiting times, in order that this unacceptable position can be brought to an end.”
“This is one of the most significant challenges facing the people of Powys, this is why I will keep asking the Government to ensure Powys Teaching Health Board is funded adequately to meet English waiting time targets for Powys residents referred across the border.”
Mr George has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care seeking confirmation that Powys Teaching Health Board will receive funding from the recent £180m Uplift to the Health and Social Care budget, in order that the Health Board is funded to a point where it can buy healthcare capacity in England based on English waiting time targets.