Politician asks health leaders to pause plans that could see a hospital 'downgraded' - this is the response

Hundreds of residents in Llanidloes and the surrounding area attended a public meeting in the town on Friday to express their concerns over plans put forward by Powys Teaching Health Board.

Montgomeryshire MS Russell George, who was also in attendance and spoke at the meeting, has called on Powys Teaching Health Board to pause its current plans to allow for what he calls a 'formal and meaningful consultation to take place'.

Mr George said: ‘‘Not only did hundreds of members of the public outline their concerns about the health boards plans to make changes to the provision of services at Llanidloes Hospital, but it was also clear from the meeting that current and former GPs, and other local health professionals oppose the Health Boards plans.

"I don’t believe the health board have set out their current proposals in a meaningful way."

He added: "The current engagement and timeframe that the health board has set out, would see changes take place from this autumn.

"Given the significant concern and public interest, I have called for the health board to pause their current plans, so a formal and meaningful consultation can take place; the health board can set out their wider plans, and what it means for Llanidloes, and address the concerns raised at the meeting from the public and health professionals."

He added that he has taken up his concern with the Health Minister, Mark Drakford MS, as he is concerned that the Health Board have "not liaised with the Welsh Government on their plans.’

A spokesperson for Powys Teaching Health Board said: "The NHS across the country is facing significant challenges, which are also keenly felt here in Powys.

"It is clear that a wide ranging debate is needed about healthy lives, and about safe and sustainable health services for the longer term.

"But whilst we continue the debate and discussion about the longer term future, there are some critical issues that we must address in the short term.

"To help us stabilise health services now we are proposing two temporary changes to the way that patients access health services in Powys:

> Temporary changes to opening hours of our minor injury units in Brecon and Llandrindod Wells, and

> Temporary changes to the clinical model for hospital inpatient services, with Llanidloes and Bronllys providing a vital role as “ready to go home units, and Newtown & Brecon having an enhanced role in specialist rehabilitation."

The spokesperson added that the engagement period on these two temporary changes continues until September 8, and all the feedback will be considered at a meeting of the board on October10.

"This will ensure that the issues raised during engagement can be conscientiously considered in public before any decisions are made.

"We encourage everyone to find out more and have their say including on our engagement website at www.haveyoursaypowys.wales/temporary

"Then, later this autumn we will continue the vital conversation with patients and communities to consider the longer term shape of safe and sustainable services.

"We will share further details soon about how you can get involved and have your say on the longer term vision of health services in the county."

Health challenges in Powys include too many people spending too long in hospital, too many patients are delayed in hospitals outside Powys.

The service is also reliant on very high levels of expensive agency staffing, and these costs, they say, affect its ability to provide other services that are important to you.

Some 'temporary changes' will help make sure that the 'local NHS is better able to cope with the additional demands that will come as we head into winter.'