Emergency changes planned at local hospitals

There will be no change to the nearest minor injury unit in Welshpool, despite emergency temporary changes being brought in by the health board.

The Powys Teaching Health Board today (Wednesday) announced a number of temporary changes to health services from September.

These include a reduction in hours at some minor injury units, but Welshpool's will remain 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.

There are also changes to Newtown and Llanidloes hospitals.

A statement said: "A meeting in public of the Board on 24 July highlighted the need for temporary changes to opening hours of some minor injury units provided by the health board, and temporary changes to the clinical model for inpatient beds in Powys community hospitals.

"A period of engagement with patients, the public and staff is taking place during the summer to explain the temporary changes and invite feedback. Further details will be available from the health board’s website at pthb.nhs.wales from Monday 29 July with engagement taking place until Sunday 25 August."

It added: "he NHS across the UK, and locally in Powys, faces a number of challenges to maintain quality, safety, outcomes and financial sustainability for patients and communities.

"Waiting times for planned care increased during the COVID pandemic and remain high. Inflationary pressures affect the whole of the public sector, increasing the costs of service delivery. More people are living longer with multiple health conditions. And there are pressures on staffing, including that the proportion of people of working age is reducing.

"Powys Teaching Health Board is therefore taking some immediate steps to help maintain quality services within available resources."

Other changes include temporary changes for inpatient beds.

"Too many patients are spending too long in hospital. This increases the likelihood of “deconditioning” where patients lose muscle strength, lose the ability to take care of themselves, and become disoriented.

"This can make it more difficult to return to their previous levels of activity and functioning when they return home, and can increase the chances of readmission to hospital, " said the statement.

"Also, it is difficult to reach out to all parts of a large rural county with the specialist skills needed for the best multi-disciplinary care, and there is too much reliance on very expensive agency staffing.

"The health board is therefore making some changes to the clinical model for inpatient care in Powys community hospitals. These will be implemented from September 2024.

"The number of community hospital beds and their locations remains unchanged across the county. Four hospitals will take on a more specialised focus to help ensure the best quality and outcomes for patients."

It added: "Bronllys and Llanidloes will be designated as our “Ready To Go Home” units. These will provide focused care and support for patients who are ready to return home but are waiting for a package of community care.

"Brecon and Newtown will take on an expanded role to support patients who need more specialised inpatient rehabilitation in a community hospital setting. This builds on their existing role as our centres for stroke rehabilitation."