County councillors to fight hospital changes

A motion calling for clarity around potential hospital bed cuts in Powys has been unanimously backed by county councillors.

An urgent motion was brought before councillors at a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, July 9, in response to claims that Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) intends to consult on hospital bed closures later this year.

Newtown Hospital will become one of two in the county to provide in-patient services. Llanidloes and Welshpool would only provide day patient services.

This will be part of a raft of proposals that PTHB intend to produce in the autumn which includes shifting away from hospital-based care to a model that sees health care being provided at a patients home.

The urgent motion was being brought to council by Cllr Graham Breeze (Powys Independents – Welshpool Llanerchyddol) and seconded by Cllr Gwynfor Thomas (Conservative – Llansantffaid).

Cllr Breeze said: “Any proposal that involves reducing inpatient capacity must be properly scrutinised and fully understood.

“It’s a request for transparency and dialogue at an early stage of the process.”

During the debate amendments were added to the motion.

Cllr Joy Jones (Powys Independents – Newtown East) wanted an amendment the proposal to allow “all” councillors invited to a meeting with PTHB officials.

“This would provide county councillors with a full and up to date briefing on all these matters,” said Cllr Jones.

Conservative group leader Cllr Aled Davies (Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant & Llansilin) also had an amendment to make.

Cllr Davies said: “The health board has told us that one of the options under its Better Together programme is developing and expanding the range of services available at home.

“That ambition is welcomed, it’s sensible and addresses the needs of an ageing population.

“But the model can’t function if we allow the closure of central rural access points such as Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant medical centre.

“If we are serious about delivering more care at home then we must be serious about protecting the infrastructure that makes home-based care possible.

“Few beds and fewer surgeries together would undermine the very community-based model the health board says it wants to build.”

He wanted the council to also seek assurance that medical centres would also be protected until the future of health services in Powys is clarified.

Both amendments had to be voted upon, and councillors agreed to add them into the full motion.

Cllr Breeze was asked if he was happy with the additions.

He agreed and suggested moving straight to a vote.

All 47 councillors voted in favour of the motion.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service