Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Member for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd Jane Dodds has said she will vote against the Welsh Government’s supplementary budget unless funding is found to address the crisis in Powys healthcare funding.

Jane Dodds has met with Welsh Government Ministers today and outlined her red lines on the Welsh Government budget, calling for a guarantee to stop beds being cut from 8 of Powys’ community hospitals and funding to help reduce cross-border healthcare delays.

Powys Teaching Health Board is currently developing proposals for the future of community hospital services, with options understood to include the removal of inpatient beds from eight community hospitals (Ystradgynlais, Builth Wells, Knighton, Bronllys, Welshpool, Llanidloes, Machynlleth and Llandrindod Wells) across the county.

Separately, Powys residents have also been affected by changes to cross-border healthcare arrangements. Because Powys has no district general hospital, many patients receive planned treatment in neighbouring English hospitals.

Until August 2025, Powys residents were generally treated no differently from patients living in neighbouring English counties such as Herefordshire and Shropshire. However, following a change in policy by Powys Teaching Health Board, many patients have since had their waiting times artificially extended, despite capacity continuing to exist in those hospitals, as the Health Board sought to reduce the cost of commissioning treatment across the border.

Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Member for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd Jane Dodds said: “I today met with the Welsh Government to outline my position on the supplementary budget, unless funding is found to stop bed cuts at Powys hospitals and to fix the problems in cross-border treatment, I will be voting against this budget.

“People in Powys have watched their NHS being dismantled piece by piece, year by year. There needs to be a change, just because people live in rural areas, it doesn't mean they should accept their public services being removed or downgraded.

“Plaid Cymru promised before the election that they would ensure rural public services are protected; I intend to hold them to account on that promise.

“I also want to be really clear: despite the fact that some people may try to present the vote like this, I am not aligning myself with Reform UK but rather standing up for my constituents who deserve to have their problems addressed."