Hospital revamp will force patients to travel
Some patients, outpatients and mothers-to-be in a Mid Wales town will have to travel to other towns for treatment while its hospital undergoes an upgrade, health bosses revealed today.
The Powys Health Board is spending £60,000 on maintenance and upgrading Llanidloes Hospital, meaning some of its services will have to be relocated. It includes replacing windows and removing asbestos.
Health chiefs say the work is necessary for the comfort of patients and to ensure the hospital can continue to function as efficiently as possible.
During the work physiotherapy services will be relocated to Newtown while other outpatient services will be moved to either Machynlleth or Newtown.
Those on the hospital's ward will be relocated to either Welshpool or Newtown.
The maternity unit will continue to run clinics from the hospital but women will have the choice to either give birth at home or at one of the other birth centres in Powys.
The day hospital, occupational therapy, health visiting, district nursing and other specialist nursing who use the hospital as a base will be unaffected and will continue to operate from the hospital and in people's homes.
The works will start on March 3 and are due to be completed by the end of the month.
Peter Skitt, the area general manager for Powys Health Board, said the works being undertaken also included testing wiring and upgrading the emergency lighting.
Other work around fire and water safety will be carried out at the same time.
"Observational windows are being fitted following a generous donation from the Llanidloes Hospital League of Friends," he added.
Once these works are complete, all services will return to the hospital as before.
"I am very grateful to the members of the community for their patience and understanding while this essential work is carried out," said Mr Skitt. "We are committed to continuing to provide the best and safest care possible to the people of Powys."
