Welshpool Hospital upgrade 'will harm Newtown'

Major plans to upgrade Welshpool Hospital's minor injuries unit will have a detrimental affect on Newtown, councillors claimed today.

Powys Local Health Board is looking at providing more minor injuries care in Welshpool and is in the process of developing a new "Urgent Care Model" to be introduced at the town's hospital.

But health board officials today insisted that nothing had been decided about the future of any minor injuries units in north Powys.

A spokeswoman said: "The document that is being referred to was a discussion paper and has no official status. The document outlines one of the options for North Powys.

"No decision has been made in relation to the structure of the minor injuries units in north Powys."

However, Councillor Joy Jones, Mayor of Newtown, said health bosses should be looking at developing the service at its hospital.

She said: "Newtown is Powys' biggest town and I think the health board needed to be improving the minor injuries service here before it even looks at anywhere else.

"I'm very upset that they have been looking at developing minor injuries units in other town when Newtown is the ideal place for it."

John Howard, chief officer of Montgomery Community Health Council, said he understood major plans were in the pipeline for Welshpool Hospital.

"Before any decision is made about Minor Injuries Units in Montgomeryshire I think there needs to be a consultation," he said.

Councillor Jones urged people to come forward and sign a petition to get 24-hour medical cover in the town.

She said: "It is not right that the people of Newtown have only limited cover from the out-of-hours service.

We have to travel to Welshpool to see the doctor in the evenings, weekends or bank holidays.

"The minor injury unit in Newtown does an excellent job during the day, however parking is a major problem and we need a service here in the evening too.

"People need to start making their voices heard before it's too late."

By Anwen Evans