Hospital unit under threat in shake-up of services

A Powys hospital ward could close as part of a plan to modernise services. Health officials plan to shut the elderly mentally infirm (EMI) unit at Newtown Hospital.

They plan to replace it with a day centre in a bid to improve services.

But campaigners say the loss of the Fan Gorau unit would mean north Powys being left with no beds for people with mental health problems. They have now urged people take part in the Powys Local Health Board (LHB) consultation, which ends on Wednesday.

Anne McHardy, whose mother Doreen McHardy, from Guilsfield, near Welshpool, is in Fan Gorau, said: "The closure of the Fan Gorau ward for the elderly mentally ill is being pushed through by the health board in the face of angry local protests, even though the three months' consultation on its proposals does not finish until later this month.

"I have been to Fan Gorau every week since Easter, visiting my mother. Its facilities are excellent. The most it needs is a coat of paint."

John Howard, chief officer of Montgomery Community Health Council, said the closure of the ward would mean people requiring hospital treatment would have to travel to Shelton Hospital, in Shrewsbury.

He said: "So many people rely on this ward being at Newtown and to close it just wouldn't make sense."

A spokeswoman for Powys LHB said: "Fan Gorau has experienced many long-term problems. The environment is no longer suitable for the care of this client group.

"We believe the best way forward for Fan Gorau is to close its in-patient function and direct the resources towards a more modern, community-based service, including a day hospital on the current Newtown hospital site."

Visit www.powyslhb. wales.nhs.uk