Patients in Mid-Wales are being “let down” with "inadequate" treatment for chronic pain conditions, a county councillor says.

Cllr Joy Jones says she's been contacted by worried patients following the closure of the Gobowen Pain Clinic in March who say they are unhappy with the new arrangements provided by Powys Teaching Health Board - and some who haven't been contacted at all.

Around 500 of the clinic’s patients were from Mid Wales, and Cllr Jones says people who had been receiving lifeline pain relief injections, in some cases for years, at Gobowen have seen their treatment reduced to online counselling sessions following a change of guidelines.

"I have spoken to so many patients that are extremely frightened and concerned regarding their future," she said.

"The pain clinic for many patients has been a their life line giving them the ability to have the best quality of life that they could have in their circumstances.

"I and members of Newtown health forum have been approached by patients who are asking me to help them as they don’t know where to turn. I have sent their complains to the health board to ask them to investigate but they needs to be done quickly and for all patients who need help with pain management.

"The stories I have heard have been heart wrenching. I have listened to patients who are in despair and have been left feeling as if life isn’t worth continuing as they have been told they will not receive the support they need."

Montgomeryshire AM Russell George said he would be raising the issue again in the Senedd after he felt a previous reply from Health Minister Vaughan Gething was "misinformed".

"I raised this three weeks ago with the health minister and I was told that Powys Teaching Health Board had understood the problem and written to those people affected. It's clear that's not the case.

"I'm going to raise this issue again with the health minister who has been misinformed by PTHB.

"He needs to understand that there's a serious issue over a number patients in Powys who are being let down by Powys Teaching Health Board at the moment."

A statement from Powys Teaching Health Board said they had identified some patients who had been missed during the handover of services from the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt NHS Trust, and say they are "very sorry" after recognising some patients felt it was unclear how their needs would be met in future.

"Robert Jones Agnes Hunt NHS Trust took the decision to close its Chronic Pain Service last year because it was assessed as not meeting the latest national standard, following the release of guidelines issued to the NHS by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). The Trust wrote to patients in December 2018, including those patients from Powys who were receiving care there, and undertook to contact them again by the 31st March 2019," they said.

"It is disappointing that this did not happen in all cases and we are very sorry that this left some patients unclear how their needs would be met in future. PTHB and RJAH have been working together closely to ensure that all patients receive the services required.

"A review of all cases has been completed by Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt NHS Trust, it has contacted the patients concerned and has confirmed that a further 23 patients will be transferring to Powys Teaching Health Board. RJAH is writing to those patients to confirm that their details will be transferred to the health board.

"Powys Teaching Health Board runs a Pain Management Service that already meets the national standards set by NICE, and this service is now expanding to offer more face to face clinics in North Powys so that more patients can be treated in county wherever possible. Arrangements are in place so that the PTHB Pain Management Service can secure services for the small number of patients who needs cannot be met in county.