Wellbeing project would give people in Mid Wales easier access to health treatment and diagnosis
A survey on early plans for a multi-agency health and wellbeing campus in Newtown will be closing this weekend.
The North Powys Wellbeing Programme – a partnership of Powys Teaching Health Board and Powys County Council, being supported by the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations – is emphasising that plans are at an early stage and that there will be more opportunities for engagement in the coming years.
An online survey is available until midnight on Sunday (December 12) asking for feedback on early ideas to bring together health and social care services, library services, supported housing, shared community space and a health and care academy alongside the planned new school building for Ysgol Calon y Dderwen in the centre of town.
The online survey can be accessed directly haveyoursaypowys.wales/early-plans-for-a-multi-agency-wellbeing-campus-in-newtown. Paper versions of the survey are available from libraries in Newtown, Welshpool, Llanidloes, Llanfair Caereinion, Llanfyllin and Machynlleth.
Hayley Thomas, the health board’s Deputy Chief Executive, and joint Senior Responsible Officer for the programme said: “One of the potential benefits of this programme would be the ability to offer more health diagnostics and treatments within Newtown, which for some people, would reduce the need for them to travel to Shrewsbury.
Subject to Welsh Government funding being available, it is hoped that the campus would be operating in 2026 although it is anticipated that the new school building would be ready before this date
Ms Thomas stressed that the programme is not just about Newtown. “We are looking to establish improvements in care and wellbeing across north Powys. In fact, we have been funding a number of ‘quick-win’ projects, such as supporting digital facilitators to help people attend online medical appointments and providing resource to improve the ophthalmology and respiratory services across the area.”
Powys County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander is Chair of the Programme’s Oversight Group. She said: "This project will transform the well-being of people in North Powys by developing new ways of working together to deliver. Please tell us your ideas, your experiences and your challenges and together, we can build a system which puts residents at its very heart."
