Health Board in Wales Reverses Decision to Extend Patient Wait Times
By [Your Name], Staff Reporter
Date: [Current Date]
The Powys Teaching Health Board in Wales has decided to reverse its planned extension of wait times for Welsh patients seeking treatment in England. The health board, which serves as a border health board, had previously explored options to reduce costs, including increasing wait times for Welsh patients receiving treatment in England. The proposed changes were part of efforts to address a projected £9.4 million budget shortfall for the final quarter of 2024-25. These options included freezing staff recruitment, reducing agency staff numbers, and intentionally prolonging wait times for Welsh patients in England.
According to documents released earlier this month, Powys residents currently receive treatment in England from three providers: Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, and Wye Valley NHS Trust. The waiting times differ between NHS England and NHS Wales, with NHS England having a 65-week inpatient target and no outpatient target, while NHS Wales has a 104-week inpatient target and a 52-week outpatient target. The English trusts are all working towards meeting the 65-week inpatient target set by NHS England.
Initially, on January 10, the health board considered two suggestions: deferring 790 inpatient appointments and 3,300 outpatient appointments from February 24, and deferring 1,830 inpatient appointments and 8,150 outpatient appointments soon after the decision was made on January 13. These deferrals could have resulted in patients waiting at least five or 11 weeks longer, depending on the scenario, while still not violating NHS Wales waiting time standards for Powys residents at English providers.
However, revised documents for a meeting on January 29 propose changes to these figures. The new options would defer appointments from March 12, 2025, and February 3, impacting 435 inpatients and 1,760 outpatients under option one, and 859 inpatients and 4,010 outpatients under option two. Patients would potentially face three to nine weeks longer wait times under these updated proposals. Notably, the plans exclude cancer patients, children, patients under surveillance, and individuals on urgent elective pathways.
While the first scenario could save £2.2 million and the second £3.3 million if approved, the updated papers acknowledge the complexity of the “legal, policy, and ethical context” surrounding these changes. The proposal may lead to increased waiting times for a significant number of patients and is not considered a quality-driven initiative, with a high adverse quality impact anticipated. James Evans MS, the Welsh Conservative shadow health minister, criticised the initial proposal, attributing it to Labour’s alleged failure to adequately fund healthcare in rural Welsh areas like Powys.
During the upcoming meeting, the health board will reconsider the potential deferrals and is urged to approve a motion maintaining elective activity at its current levels for the quarter. These developments highlight the challenges faced by healthcare providers in balancing financial constraints with patient care and access to timely treatment. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving story.