GWENT politicians are calling for Wales health chiefs to fund a £25,000 operation that could ease the suffering of a Newport man with a rare condition.

As we reported yesterday, former fitness instructor and rugby player Simon Henson, 34, suffers from focal tortocollis dystonia, a painful condition that causes muscle spasms and has left Simon's neck permanently twisted.

After a year-long wait Mr Henson was told that the Health Commission Wales will not fund an operation at an English hospital, saying there is limited evidence it works on his condition.

South Wales East AM William Graham called the HCW's decision "absolutely appalling". He said: "It's morally wrong and ethically indefensible.

"Decisions like this are in defiance of what the physician says in each case.

"It all goes wrong because it goes to an agency who are not medically qualified."

Mr Graham will now take the case up with Wales health minister Dr Brian Gibbons.

Newport East AM and deputy health minister John Griffiths also promised to take up the case.

He said: "I very much sympathise with Mr Henson. It's very difficult for anybody to accept that this operation isn't going to be funded.

"On a human level I think people can empathise.

"I'm very disappointed for my constituent and will write to Dr Gibbons and the HCW."

The HCW board is made up of 18 representatives from various bodies, who are responsible for commissioning specialist hospital care and other services that can't be commissioned by Local Health Boards.

Despite an annual budget of £48million, the HCW said they will not fund the £25,000 operation at the Radcliffe Hospital in Oxfordshire.

Professor Tipu Aziz, the UK's only specialist in dystonia, would carry out the procedure, which involves passing electrical stimulators to prevent 'rogue' messages from the brain to the muscles.

A power pack attached to the abdomen regulates the stimulators, and batteries need replacing every 18 months at a cost of £10,000.

Prof Aziz called the HCW's decision "ridiculous", and urged Mr Henson to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights if HCW do not agree to the treatment.

He said: "I strongly feel that it is unethical to refuse patients treatment when such treatment has been advised and supported by expert opinion.

"My personal suspicion is that this is purely a cost-saving exercise with the patient used as a football."