James Evans MS seeks assurance over elective surgery access in England for Powys residents

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James Evans has sought an assurance from the Welsh Government that people from Powys who need elective surgery in England can get it. Video from Senedd.tv

Transcript

00:00that short term while they're recruiting.

00:01James Evans.

00:02DR Cloweth.

00:03First Minister, as you're well aware, Powys Teaching Health Board did have proposals to

00:08stop elective surgery and slow down elective surgery across the border in England.

00:13I'm very pleased, as well as others in this Chamber, that that proposal was shelved by

00:17the health board.

00:18However, that health board does remain in special measures due to financial difficulties,

00:23so the problems haven't gone away, and there's still some anxiety within the communities

00:27within my constituency, and I know in Russell George's constituencies as well, that this

00:31proposal might come round again.

00:33So I'm just interested to hear from you what discussions is the Cabinet Secretary and yourself

00:38having with Powys Teaching Health Board to make sure that there is money available to

00:42make sure that people who are accessing care in England can get that care when they need

00:46it and not forced away unnecessarily on waiting lists?

00:49Well, thanks very much.

00:50We're very pleased that the health board decided not to go through with those proposals, and

00:56I know that there are ongoing discussions between the health Secretary and Powys Health

01:02Board to make sure that they are able to not only deliver for the people of Powys, but

01:08also to deliver within the budget constraints that we've set out.

01:12We have bailed out health boards year after year.

01:16That time is finished.

01:18They need to manage their finances much better, because otherwise every other department has

01:25to bail them out.

01:26Enough.

01:27That's not happening any longer, and it's really important that Powys takes that seriously.

01:32They're having to make very difficult decisions.

01:33We understand that.

01:35The demands on the health service at the moment are really enormous, but I was very pleased

01:41to see that they pulled back from that suggestion that they were going to follow.

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