Positive feedback from temporary changes to the minor injury units and Ready to Go Home units in Powys
There has been some positive feedback from temporary changes to the minor injury units at Llandrindod Wells and Brecon and Ready to Go Home units in Llanidloes and Bronllys
Temporary service changes were approved by Powys Teaching Health Board at the hospitals in October 2024.
The changes resulted in the minor injury units at Llandrindod Wells and Brecon opening from 8am until 8pm for a six month period and the implementation of “Ready To Go Home” units in Llanidloes and Bronllys with a strengthened role for Brecon and Newtown to provide community inpatient rehabilitation
At Powys Teaching Health Board’s meeting on Wednesday, March 26, members received a second assurance update report.
The minor injury unit changes went live on November 18 and the Ready to Go units went live on December 2.
A Temporary Service Change Evaluation and Monitoring Group has been established to monitor the situation monthly through the Strategic Change Programme Board (SCPB).
At the end of the six month period during June 2025 there will be a full evaluation of both changes against the evaluation framework utilising the qualitative and quantitative information gathered during the 6-month period.
Recommendations based on the evaluation will be considered by Strategic Change Programme Board and Executive Committee before being presented to Board on July 30 2025
Executive Medical Director at the health board Kate Wright said there were no significant positive or adverse issues to highlight. But she said useful feedback has been received from primary care colleagues related to communication around the admission processes. This is helping to refine the models.
A further assurance update will be presented to Board on May 212025
The regional director of Llais, Katie Blackburn, a patient advocacy group, said Llais had spoken to patients in Llanidloes and Newtown and the feedback was very positive, with his satisfaction on food and the atmosphere compared to larger hospital settings. She said there had nbot been any complaints about the minor injury units.
Health board chairman Dr Carl Cooper said he and vice chairman Kirsty Williams had visited the Ready to Go Home Units in Llanidloes and Bronllys
He said; “It was good to receive positive feedback from staff colleagues and patients about the quality and timeliness of the care provided on the units. We look forward to receiving the evaluation report at the end of the temporary service change period in order to inform decisions about the future of these units.”
Kirsty Williams reported on her visit to the Ready to Go Home Ward, Bronllys.
“Staff were very positive about the development of the new approach on the ward. They noted that in some cases patients were continuing to experience delays in getting home or to a permanent care setting. The patients I spoke to all spoke very highly of the care that they had received. Some were particularly complimentary of the activities that they had access to on the ward. All I spoke to were keen to return home as soon as possible.”
