David Chadwick, MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, has accused Powys Teaching Health Board of “artificially extending waiting times” for patients referred to hospitals in England.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Chadwick said that the UK Government claims that Wales is receiving record-breaking funding to tackle NHS waiting lists, but for his constituent, Melanie Walker, the reality is the opposite.

He highlighted the case of Ms Walker, who has already waited 59 weeks for a hip operation and now faces an additional 45-week delay.

He said the health board was aligning waiting times for treatment in Shropshire and Herefordshire with the longer NHS Wales targets, resulting in extended waits for patients.

Mr Chadwick asked Welsh Secretary, Jo Stevens, if she thought that is fair to Melanie or consistent with her Government’s pledge to reduce waiting times.

Ms Stevens said she was very sorry to hear about Melanie’s situation.

But she added: “I would say to the hon. Gentleman that his party were in government with the Conservatives during the coalition years.

“That Government delivered horrible austerity on Wales, which lead to public services in Wales being degraded. His party was the architect of that.”

The issue comes amid renewed controversy over Powys Teaching Health Board’s decision to extend waiting times for patients receiving planned care in English hospitals.

Earlier this year, the board faced strong public opposition after proposing to align waiting times with NHS Wales targets, potentially increasing waits to up to two years for some procedures.

The proposal was initially shelved but was then reinstated and approved in March as part of the board’s annual budget, due to mounting financial pressures.

Powys Teaching Health Board is forecasting a £38.4 million deficit for 2025/26, prompting the decision to extend waiting times from July 1.

This means some patients referred to hospitals such as the Royal Shrewsbury and Hereford County Hospitals will now face longer waits than previously expected.

In response to concerns over extended waits, Powys Teaching Health Board issued a statement at the end of last month ahead of the changes that took effect on July 1.

The board said that from July, all planned inpatient and day-case treatments for Powys residents would be delivered according to NHS Wales waiting time targets, rather than NHS England standards.

The health board emphasised that urgent referrals, cancer treatments, appointments for children under 18, and ongoing care for long-term conditions (such as diabetes) would not be affected by this change.

“If you already have a date for your appointment or procedure, then this is not affected. Please attend your appointment as normal,” the statement said.

Patients are advised not to contact hospitals or GP practices for appointment updates unless their symptoms significantly change.

The board acknowledged that the decision was “not taken lightly” but said it reflects the financial realities they face.

“We must take action to live within our means, or we will build up bigger financial difficulties for the future,” it added.