Powys Senedd Member has 'very serious concerns' about health board proposals to cut beds

A Powys Senedd Member has 'very serious concerns' about health board proposals to cut beds.

Newly published papers from Powys Teaching Health Board on Wednesday set out two potential options for the future of physical-health inpatient services across the county.

Under one option, inpatient beds would be retained at Brecon, Llandrindod Wells and Newtown.

However, under the second, services would be concentrated at just Brecon and Newtown, meaning Llandrindod Wells would lose its physical-health inpatient beds entirely.

Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd Senedd Member James Evans MS, Shadow Minister for Health, Prevention and Sport, said: “I have very serious concerns about the options now being put forward and any proposal that could see hospital beds concentrated on fewer sites or make it harder for people in Powys to access healthcare close to home.

“Powys is a huge rural county with an older and widely dispersed population, and we are already the only Welsh county without a district general hospital. Any changes therefore have to recognise the reality that asking people to travel further for care can have a very different impact here than it would in a more urban part of Wales.

“Ystradgynlais also needs particular attention because it has its own unique circumstances. We need to make sure there is a clear and workable solution in place for the community, rather than simply applying a one-size-fits-all approach across Powys. Any changes there need to reflect the particular needs of local residents and ensure people continue to have realistic access to the care and services they rely on.

“I support the principle of providing more care safely in people’s homes and communities, but that cannot come at the expense of inpatient beds and local services before genuinely accessible alternatives are properly funded, staffed and proven to work.

“I would not support cuts simply as a way of balancing the health board’s books, and I will challenge any proposal that I believe would leave communities with a poorer or less accessible service.

“At the same time, it is important that people are given the facts. No final decisions have yet been made. PTHB will consider the proposals on September 16 and, if they proceed, there will then be a full public consultation before any final decisions are taken.

“I will be looking very carefully at the detail, speaking to residents and healthcare professionals and making sure concerns from communities across Powys are properly heard during that consultation.

“I will also continue pressing the Welsh Government over the funding available to Powys. The Health Board is facing very significant financial pressures, and if Ministers want local services to be protected they need to make sure a rural health board like Powys is properly funded to meet the needs of the population it serves.”