The Welsh Government has increased its monitoring of all health boards in Wales - including in Powys - citing “extreme financial challenges” it says are caused by UK Government policy.

The move by the Welsh Government will see Powys Teaching Health Board being moved from the healthiest status of “routine arrangements” to requiring “enhanced monitoring for planning and finance”.

The Welsh Government said they have made the decisions due to “the extreme financial challenges” they are facing which they claim is caused “by years of UK Government austerity measures and record levels of inflation”.

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Dr Carl Cooper, Chair, Powys Teaching Health Board and Hayley Thomas, Interim Chief Executive of Powys Teaching Health Board said: "The NHS across the country is facing a very challenging context in terms of finance and planning, and this is very much reflected in our position here in Powys.

"Last year was the first time since 2015 that PTHB did not achieve a break even financial position, ending the year with a deficit of £7m.

"For 2023/24, the plan that we have submitted to Welsh Government will end the year ahead with a £33.5m deficit position."

"Our overall budget is around £400m per year. This means we spend just over £1m every day, but our deficit position means we spend £90,000 every day that we cannot afford."

"Our track record of delivery here in Powys gives us confidence that we will come through these challenges, but given rising costs and increasing demand we all need to be part of an open and honest conversation with the public about what the future health and care service looks like to ensure the sustainability of the NHS in Wales."

According to the Welsh Government due to the “incredibly tough” financial climate, health boards have been unable to submit financially balanced Integrated Medium-Term Plans.

Those health boards, which were not already in a form of intervention for planning and finance, will be escalated to enhanced monitoring.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “It is disappointing that all health boards have been escalated to enhanced monitoring for planning and finance.

“We do not make these decisions lightly and it reflects the very difficult financial position we are in, as a result of inflation and austerity, and the challenges affecting health boards.

“We are seeing operational pressures, long waiting lists, and an extremely challenging financial position in the NHS – but this is not unique to Wales.

“We will support health boards to improve their financial planning positions, but some difficult decisions will need to be made as we work through this very tough financial challenge. In the coming weeks and months, together with the NHS, we will be working with the public to outline where savings need to be made to reduce these significant budget deficits.”

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Montgomeryshire MS and Conservative Shadow Health Minister Russell George called it a "sad indictment" Labour's handling of the NHS, adding: "While it is positive that the Labour Health Minister is taking some action by acknowledging the dire state of our Welsh NHS, I have little faith given the lack of improvements we are seeing in health boards already being monitored that much will change in the coming months.

“Welsh Conservatives brought forward innovative solutions from surgical hubs to diagnostic centres and encouraged Labour to adopt Rishi Sunak’s NHS workforce plan, but instead we continue to see nearly 30,000 waiting for over two years for treatment in our Welsh NHS.

“Don’t forget that Wales has received a record funding settlement from the UK Conservative Government and for every £1 spent on health in England, Wales receives £1.20, yet Labour only spend £1.05 on the health service. Welsh Conservatives would ensure the full £1.20 is spent on our Welsh NHS.”