Town council 'stands behind its community' and opposes proposed health cuts

Knighton Town Council stands behind the community and opposes proposed Powys health cuts.

The council discussed the issue at its recent meeting and agreed to ensure they advertise Powys Teaching Health Board's consultation on the proposed health cuts.

They will also make sure paper versions of the consultation are available at the civic centre.

Councillor Sally Vaughan-Ross proposed the motion and it was seconded by Knighton Mayor Councillor Tina Sharp.

She proposed that the town council should clearly and publicly oppose the planned cuts which could see Powys' community hospitals' beds reduced from 148 to 90 or 60 and that may mean taking beds, and also the potential loss of the x ray department and the minor injuries unit from Llandrindod Wells hospital.

Councillor Vaughan-Ross said: “I think we need to say that Knighton Town Council opposes the changes and that Knighton hospital is a very important part of our community even though it has been downgraded in recent years.

“We should make it clear that we oppose any proposal to reduce or remove beds in Knighton Hospital and any changes to our health service matters enormously to us all here in Knighton and the surrounding areas.

“We are standing behind our community and will oppose these proposals.”

Councillor Mark Coxill said; “We want to keep beds in Knighton hospital and we will advertise the consultation around town.”

The council was told Knighton currently has five re-enablement beds in the hospital. People can use them for six weeks as long as they can wash and dress themselves. They are then assessed to see if they can go home or if they need to go into residential or nursing care.

If the health board's proposals go ahead Knighton hospital could lose those beds.

Councillor Tom Taylor said: “If people are staying in district general hospitals because we have not got community hospital beds, the major hospitals will have more and more people.”

Knighton Mayor Councillor Tina Sharp said if Powys loses community hospital beds and Hereford Hospital discharges a patient they will go to Leominster, Bromyard or Ross on Wye which costs Powys Teaching Health Board more. She said she knew this from personal experience.

Members agreed to oppose the health cut proposals and to ensure paper copies of the consultation are available.