A WYE Valley woman has been refused permission to continue seeing a consultant in Bristol despite assurances there is "no intention to restrict" Welsh patients being treated in England.

The case of Mariana Robinson, who lives in Llandogo and who has an art gallery in St Briavels was raised at Prime Minister's Questions by Monmouth MP David Davies.

Ms Robinson was forced to pay privately to see a consultant in Bristol about a serious pancreatic condition but has had to go back to the NHS because she did not have the money to continue paying.

Her MP, David Davies, asked Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg if he agreed people in Wales should be able to access the "far better" services in England.

Mr Clegg said: "I was appalled. In Wales, where the NHS is run by Labour, 33 per cent – a third – of patients wait more than eight weeks to access diagnostic services.

"In England only just over one per cent of patients wait more than six weeks for the same services. I think the comparison speaks for itself."

A letter to Ms Robinson from the office of Welsh health minister Mark Drakeford said: "The Welsh Government recognises the importance of cross-border provision of health services to secure access for Welsh residents to services not available in Wales, and there is certainly no intention to restrict Welsh patients from receiving health care in England where there is a demonstrable need."

But Ms Robinson – who still doesn't know when she might see a Welsh consultant despite being on the list since last October – was not satisfied with the answer.

She said: "If I'm not a special case then who is? It's not just me, there are thousands of people affected in the same way.

"I want to continue seeing the consultant who I've been seeing. As far as the Welsh NHS is concerned I've not been diagnosed."

Ms Robinson says she has now contacted Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt.