A WYE Valley woman says she was told by UK Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt that it would be easier to get her treatment in France or Romania than England.

Mariana Robinson, who lives in Llandogo and has an art gallery in St Briavels, met Mr Hunt to discuss the problems she has been having with the Aneurin Bevan Health Board.

Ms Robinson says the board has refused her permission to continue seeing the consultant she first saw privately in Bristol for a pancreatic condition.

She secured a 30-minute meeting with the health secretary along with Monmouth MP David Davies.

She asked Mr Hunt if he could do anything to help her get NHS care in Bristol, whether he would support an amendment to the Government of Wales Bill proposed by the Monmouth MP and how Wales can change its health policy to the "detriment" of its own people.

Ms Robinson said: "As I live just 250 yards across the river Wye and have a Welsh postcode, I can only get my treatment in Wales and the Secretary of State tells me he has absolutely no jurisdiction over the devolved government in Wales.

"However, he is the fund-holder for the whole of the United Kingdom budget for healthcare abroad in any other European country – I could in effect get my treatment in France, Germany, Spain, Romania or anywhere in the EU, and central government would pay the bill.

"The irony is that I want to be treated just over the river in England and this option is denied me by Wales.

"Mr Hunt said he would get his legal advisors to look into the legality of Wales closing its health borders to UK citizens living in Wales when they are part of the EU country known as the United Kingdom.

"I was very disappointed that I am no further forward with my own care requirements unless I fancy a trip to France every few months and could afford to pay for the travelling and time off work, which I can't.

"I shall persevere with this one and intend to support David Davies's proposed amendment by voting through Change.org and I hope others will do the same.

"At present I'm awaiting a personal appeal to the chief executive of the ABHB in the light of further medical evidence and have asked him for individual funding for me to continue to be seen by my consultant in Bristol.

"After waiting 18 months for a first appointment to see a gastroenterologist in Wales, I have only now been offered one for mid June but I really don't want to start all over again with a new consultant so late in the day."

Mr Davies said: "I believe it is time to return to the days of a truly National British Health Service.

"I have therefore amended the Government of Wales Bill in a way which would allow patients in England or Wales to access  healthcare across the border with the cost of treatment being added to or subtracted from the block grant given to the Welsh Government every year by the UK Government.

"In this way, patients would have the right to go wherever they want for treatment without there being any impact on the powers of the Welsh Government.