Welshpool hospital to lose beds, X-ray and Minor Injury units under savage cuts
At its meeting on September 16, the Health Board will consider whether Better Together proposals for adult physical health, adult mental health, urgent care and some diagnostic services are ready for formal public consultation.
But in the meeting agenda and supporting documents, it is revealed that not only is the Health Board wanting to move all beds to a new north Powys ‘hub’ in Newtown, but the X-ray facility and Minor Injury units are also set to go. The X-ray unit only went through a refit last year as part of a £1.7 million upgrade.
And this is only Phase One of the plans, meaning that whatever crumbs are left at the hospital could also be hoovered up by Newtown as the Board looks to centralise our already abysmal health service offering over the coming years.
Of course, the Health Board has said that these plans will improve health services, explaining that the options will strengthen urgent community responses and establish Urgent Care Centres, open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, with a wider range of assessment, treatment and diagnostic services than current Minor Injury Units can provide.
But the reality is that people in the Welshpool area will be cruelly punished once again and expected to travel longer distances.
Local officials have reacted with understandable anger tonight with Welshpool County Councillor, Graham Breeze, saying it was his “darkest day” since being elected.
“Some devastating news has been released today about the future of Welshpool Hospital,” Cllr Breeze told us.
“Our concern about loss of beds in the leaked PTHB proposals is even worse. A document published today on the PTHB website in the agenda for their September 16 meeting, shows the plans also contain the closure of the Minor Injuries Unit and the X-ray unit at Welshpool with relocation to Newtown when a new health hub is completed there.
“I’m not fully sure what that leaves at Welshpool but I will be meeting with PTHB alongside other Powys councillors tomorrow afternoon to demand some answers on why Welshpool is being treated this way.
“This is my darkest day since being elected as a county councillor for Welshpool 10 years ago but I will continue to fight for our services as long as I am your representative.”
Jane Dodds, a Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Member, said it was “a shocking betrayal of the trust of communities across Powys”.
In explaining the process, Dr Carl Cooper, Chair of Powys Teaching Health Board, said: “The Board is being asked to consider whether these proposals are ready to be examined through formal public consultation. Our responsibility is to consider whether the evidence, options and supporting information are sufficiently developed to progress to this important next step. If consultation is approved, we want people to test the evidence, challenge our thinking, and help inform what happens next.
“The recommendations being considered by the Board on September 16 have been informed by feedback from thousands of patients, residents, NHS staff and partner organisations over that last two years.
“This is not currently a decision on the future configuration of services. Such decisions could only be made following full and meaningful consultation.”
Board papers and supporting documents are available from the Powys Teaching Health Board here: https://pthb.nhs.wales/about-us/the-board/board-meetings/
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