£4m health bailout for Powys

Powys has been boosted by a cash injection of £4 million to help balance the books ahead of an expected year-end deficit of up to £9 million.

The Welsh Government handout was confirmed last night by Welsh Health Minister, Lesley Griffiths AM, who said an additional funding of £82 million would be available for the Welsh Health Service for the remainder of this financial year.

The money will come from within her budget – a £50 million contingency fund and ‘underspend’ due to ‘project slippage’ in capital expenditure.

Local Assembly Member Russell George said that the money must be directed “straight to the frontline”, claiming that Powys patients face “severe waiting times” for treatment.

“While the Minister has been adamant that Local Health Boards would receive no extra money and would be expected to break even, she’s been forced into a U-turn because frontline services are being hit and patients are suffering,” said Mr George.

“I think Powys Health Board will be obliged to use this funding to recommence routine treatment for patients who are waiting more than 26 weeks; there is now no excuse for Powys patients to be left in further pain and distress.

“However, this doesn’t detract from the overall position that NHS finances in Wales are in a dire state. Lurching messily from one bailout to the next is not giving frontline staff the confidence they need to deliver first class services, nor is it giving patients confidence that they are going to be treated appropriately and on time.

“Health boards like Powys must be sufficiently funded at the start of the financial year to allow them to plan and commission services properly for the needs of the population.”