Memorandum submitted by The Brecon and Radnor Community Health Council (CBPS 15)

Health and Social Care

The Brecon and Radnor Community Health Council would wish to bring to the attention a number of concerns that they would wish the committee's inquiry to concentrate on:

1) Prescriptions and how this is being provided for residents living in England with Welsh based GP services.

2) The differing waiting times for English based and Welsh based residents attending same GPs, with residents asking why as they believe it is a UK health service.

3) Health Commission Wales reducing certain specialist services based just inside the English border and reproviding the services in North, South or West Wales many miles further away.

4) The possibility of Powys LHB changing its future role as both commissioner and provider, with Welsh based Trusts providing the service and not wishing patients on the border to use English based DGH services, but use their services which may well be many miles further away.

5) The major impact on finance to Hereford Hospital if Powys residents were not permitted to use their service.

6) The associated problems for the Ambulance Service if they have to take people to hospitals further away.

7) The potential problems for border residents regarding 999 calls having to be taken much further to a DGH.

8) Public transport reflects population requirements and not cross border issues and would seriously disadvantage many people attending appointments, visiting arrangements/hospitals if they were not allowed to use English based DGH's.

9) Both Central Government and Welsh Assembly Government talk about choice, but more for political reason than population requirements they may be denied this.

10) The problems associated with differing charging and the impact this has on Powys LHB.

11) The NHS is paid for principally out of taxes, the services it provides should be universally available to the population of Great Britain.

The Community Health Council would welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters further as one of the main areas bordering England.

12 March 2008