Changes confirmed to Newtown and Llanidloes hospitals

Services at Newtown Hospital will be changed, and Llanidloes Hospital's services will be downgraded following a decision by the Powys Teaching Health Board.

The Board is expected to implement temporary measures in December to save millions of pounds due to an anticipated £22 million deficit.

The changes are likely to be made for six months.

It will mean part of Newtown Hospital focussing on specialised rehabilitation, while Llanidloes will assess "Ready to go home" patients.

The decision was taken at a Board meeting on Thursday and follows a campaign to prevent Llanidloes Hospital from being "downgraded."

A statement from the health board said: The Health Board agreed that both proposals should be introduced on a temporary basis for a 6 month period. A timetable for implementation will now be agreed, with both changes expected to be in place by December."

Dr Carl Cooper, Chair of Powys Teaching Health Board, said: “We are grateful to the many people, groups and communities that have participated in the engagement exercise regarding the proposed temporary service changes. 

"The Board has given full and conscientious consideration to all the feedback. We have also scrutinised the benefits of the proposals together with the risks of not addressing the challenges to the quality and sustainability of services.

"Consequently, we have agreed that the implementation of these temporary changes is the best and appropriate way forward. These changes will be subject to review and evaluation, and their effectiveness will be considered by the Board at the end of the six-month, temporary period.  The feedback we have heard from the public, staff, GP Practices and partners has helped us develop a clear framework for learning, review and evaluation."

Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat and Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds said: “I am very disappointed by this decision from the Powys Teaching Health Board which will have a severe effect on the quality of healthcare on offer to local residents.

"As a predominantly rural area, we here in Powys cannot afford to place further hurdles in the way of residents simply trying to access healthcare services.

"While I appreciate that PTHB are, like many health boards across Wales, having to deal with a difficult financial picture thanks to decades of neglect to our NHS from Welsh Labour, I’m afraid that the decision to approve these plans was wrong.

"The people of Powys should not be expected to pick up the pieces left by Welsh Labour’s mismanagement of our healthcare services."