Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick met with the UK Government Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety this week to discuss the delays in cross-border health care impacting Powys residents.

A policy introduced by Powys Teaching Health Board in August 2025 has seen waiting times for Welsh residents being treated in English hospitals artificially extended, whereas previously Powys residents were always treated the same as English patients.

Powys Teaching Health Board has argued that, because of budget pressures and the way services are funded by the Welsh Government, it can no longer afford to commission treatment at the faster rates available in Shropshire and Herefordshire.

As a result, many Powys patients are now waiting up to an additional year for treatment, with some facing delays of almost two years, often in serious pain, despite capacity continuing to exist in neighbouring English hospitals.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats argue that patients are no longer being treated solely according to clinical need and that spare NHS capacity in England, which could be helping to reduce waiting lists, is not being used.

During the meeting with the UK Minister, David Chadwick outlined the problems facing health care in Powys, the nature of the cross-border interactions and the impact the new policy is having on patients waiting in pain.

Following the meeting the UK Minister agreed to write to her Welsh Government counterpart alongside all the health boards involved to express her concern and to look for a way forward to find a solution.

Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick said: “I am grateful for the Minister taking the time for me today and for her commitment to speak to her counterparts in the Welsh Government and local health boards to try and find a way forward.

“Local residents in Powys are tired of being treated like second-class citizens when it comes to healthcare, falling through the cracks in a system that should protect them.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats and myself are clear: these delays to cross-border treatment are unacceptable, put patients and risk and don’t save money. We will continue to campaign to end the policy and pressure the Welsh Government to intervene and fix this issue.”