Powys deserves better than cuts by stealth, local Senedd Member says

People in Powys have seen local NHS services chipped away over many years.

Now we're being told that eight of our ten community hospitals could lose their inpatient beds.

I don't believe that's something we should simply accept.

The proposals would see beds removed from Ystradgynlais, Llandrindod, Builth, Knighton, Bronllys, Welshpool, Llanidloes and Machynlleth — up to 146 beds in total.

That's in a county with no district general hospital, an ageing population, and some of the longest journeys to healthcare anywhere in Wales.

We're already seeing patients staying in hospital for far longer than they should.

In Powys, the average stay is around 40 days, compared with the Welsh Government's ambition of 21.

Taking away community beds before those problems are sorted risks making things even harder for

patients and families, with more people waiting unnecessarily or being treated far from home.

I've been raising these concerns every step of the way.

I've questioned the Health Minister in the Senedd, written jointly to him and Powys Teaching Health Board, and made it clear that I could not support a Welsh Government budget that failed to provide the certainty our community hospitals need.

Plaid Cymru made a promise to rural Wales. This is the moment they either keep it or break it.

What has encouraged me most has been the response from people across Powys.

At the Royal Welsh Show alone, almost 1,000 people stopped to add their names, share their experiences and tell me what their local hospital means to them and their families.

I want to thank every single person who took the time to speak with us.

This has never been about scoring political points.

It's about making sure people in rural Wales are treated fairly. Powys deserves healthcare that works for our communities, and I will keep making that case.

Jane Dodds MS, Welsh Liberal Democrat Member for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd