Powys hospital beds already at up to 91% capacity amid threat of cuts – new figures reveal

Figures revealed by the Welsh Liberal Democrats show that Powys hospital beds were 91% full on average across 2025, despite the emerging threats that beds in all hospitals apart from those in Brecon and Newtown could be cut.

Brecon Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick and Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd Senedd Member Jane Dodds MS have warned the new figures show Powys needs “more community hospital beds, not fewer”

The figures, obtained from Powys Teaching Health Board through a Freedom of Information request, show that six of the eight operating hospitals included in the response had average bed occupancy rates above 90% during 2025.

Llandrindod Wells and Machynlleth hospitals both recorded average occupancy of 98%, while Welshpool and Newtown were both at 96%. Brecon War Memorial Hospital was at 94% and Llanidloes Hospital at 91%.

Ystradgynlais Community Hospital, where local residents have also been campaigning against the proposed removal of beds, recorded occupancy of 83%, while Bronllys recorded 71%.

Both David Chadwick and Jane Dodds have also stated that it is already well known that enough beds do not exist in Powys to cope with the current demand for step-down care, with patients being forced to remain in major hospitals in Hereford, Shrewsbury or Telford because of the lack of bed space available within Powys.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have argued that the figures raise serious questions over how Powys Teaching Health Board can safely reduce community bed capacity when several hospitals are already operating close to capacity.

David Chadwick, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, said: “These figures should set alarm bells ringing.

“We now know that some of our community hospitals are already operating at capacity. That leaves precious little spare capacity in the system.

“People across Powys have been telling us for weeks that removing community hospital beds is the wrong approach. These figures add yet more weight to their concerns

.“Our community hospitals play an absolutely vital role in allowing people to recover closer to home, supporting families and helping patients move out of larger acute hospitals when they no longer need to be there.

“At the same time, one of the biggest challenges facing our NHS is delayed discharge because people cannot access the appropriate care they need outside an acute hospital.

“The answer to that problem cannot be to remove more capacity from our communities. Powys needs more community and social care beds, not fewer.”

Jane Dodds, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Member for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd added: “These figures confirm exactly what communities across Powys have been telling us: our community hospitals are not surplus capacity, they are essential parts of our health service.

“The Plaid Cymru Welsh Government cannot stand on the sidelines while vital rural health services are cut back. The Health Minister needs to recognise the additional costs and challenges of delivering healthcare across a large rural county like Powys and ensure our Health Board has the funding it needs.

“David and I have now heard directly from thousands of residents who are determined to protect their community hospitals. We will make sure their voices are heard loud and clear in Cardiff Bay.

“Powys needs more community and social care capacity, not less. The Welsh Liberal Democrats will continue fighting alongside our communities to protect these beds.”

Powys Teaching Health Board said while bed occupancy figures provide a ‘snapshot’ of activity the figures do not show whether people are receiving care in the most appropriate setting.

Adrian Osborne, Deputy Director, Powys Teaching Health Board said: “We understand that people care very deeply about local health services, and we welcome the strong interest being shown in the future of health care in Powys.

“Later this year we expect to launch a formal public consultation on options for the future. Any options considered for consultation will have been informed by thousands of voices across the county over the last two years. We will ensure that information is shared widely across the county and encourage everyone with an interest in the future of health care in Powys to look at the evidence, consider the options, and share their views, so that the health board can take full account of them before any decisions are made.

“Bed occupancy figures provide an important snapshot of activity, but they do not on their own tell us whether people are receiving care in the most appropriate setting or whether different forms of care could achieve better outcomes. The evidence tells us that too many people are spending too long in a community hospital bed because the support required to help them return home is not always available.

“In many of our hospitals half of the patients are waiting for support to enable them to return home, and a community hospital bed is not the best place for their care. Other patients in community hospital beds would not need hospital admission if specialist community healthcare services were available in the home.

“The evidence is also clear that one of the biggest improvements we can make for patients is to break the harmful cycle of deconditioning: long stays in hospital contribute to functional decline, loss of independence and incontinence, and they increase the likelihood of readmission. For many people, particularly older adults, home is the best place to recover, maintain independence and avoid the harms associated with prolonged hospital stays.

“We recognise how frustrating it can be when someone is waiting to return from District General Hospital to a Powys community hospital bed. While these cases represent a relatively small proportion of the total delays being experienced across the system, every delay matters to the individual concerned. For example, on Wednesday there were four patients in District General Hospitals ready and waiting for a Powys community hospital bed; whilst the majority of delays did not relate to community hospital beds and were experienced by people waiting for a package of health and care to enable them to return home. Those delays could significantly reduce if we provided more health care in the home. The experience and outcomes for patients could be much better if we were able to prevent the need for hospital admission in the first place.

“We want to create a future with prevention at its heart, helping people to live healthier and happier lives. We want a system where we have stronger community services, so that more people are cared for at home. We want to judge our success by how many people we help to stay well enough to avoid needing a hospital bed. We want inpatient services in Powys to offer better health care, so that fewer people need to go to a District General Hospital.

“This is particularly important in a large rural county like Powys, given the growing needs of our ageing population. At the same time, the proportion of people of working age is reducing. These realities mean we must take steps now to organise health care in ways that continue to meet the needs of our communities for years to come.

“We know these discussions matter deeply to local people because community hospitals are valued parts of their communities. That is why we are committed to an open and transparent conversation about the future of safe, high-quality health care, supported by evidence and shaped by the views of the people who provide and use these services.”