Health, Social Care and Wellbeing should be the same in all Powys.

At their meeting on October 19, the Health and Care Scrutiny Committee were given an update on the North Powys Wellbeing Programme which see Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board working together on the project.

The Park area in Newtown has now been confirmed as the preferred site for the “campus.”

Councillor Jackie Charlton said: “I’ve been very excited by this development ever since I first saw it a couple of years ago.

“But there things that worry me.”

Councillor Charlton continued: “This is a benefit for North Powys.

“It’s correct that it should be there, but we are Powys County Council, not North Powys.

“There are similar deprivation and concerns in South Powys.”

She pointed to the fears in the north of the county that health services could be moved to Telford, are mirrored in the south.

From the middle of November people living in the south east of Powys will be served by The Grange hospital in Cwmbran.

Councillor Charlton said: “What will be done in the future to support these areas?

“We need to be assured it can be done across the county not just one part of it.”

Director of Social Services, Alison Bulman said that the model of care of bringing services together is for the whole of Powys.

Ms Bulman added that while this programme “focussed on North Powys” it did not alter the work of “improving and transforming” services for all parts of the county.

Carly Skeet of PTHB said: “In the south we have a very well developed rural regional centre model with Brecon hospital and services provided from there.”

Ms Skeet believed that independent evaluation of the programme’s work that is required as part of receiving “transformation funding” gives an “opportunity to learn.”

Children’s Social Services portfolio holder, Councillor Rachel Powell, said: “The data from health and social care we received did highlight that Newtown was of extreme need, it’s been done for that reason.

“Quite rightly we do need to look at the whole of Powys, and how we can work together more effectively to ensure from here on, we can deliver equitable services throughout Powys.”