A range of health services are needed closer to the people of north Powys is the response from Plaid Cymru to the NHS Future Fit and Hywel Dda Health Board consultations currently underway.
The response comes as the NHS Future Fit consultation for Shropshire and north Powys undertakes a consultation into plans to reform services, including a preferred option to have an Accident and Emergency unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and not Telford.
The response comes in advance of a Future Fit public exhibition at The Elephant and Castle on Thursday between 3.30pm and 7.30pm when the public can meet health chiefs to discuss the plans.
“We need a range of actions to be undertaken for the benefit of residents in North Powys,” said Cllr Elwyn Vaughan on behalf of Plaid Cymru.
They state in their response:
This integrated approach should include:
• Support option 1 to include the Emergency Care unit at Shrewsbury
• Support community transport links from Newtown area to Shrewsbury to ease accessibility
• Welcome the continued importance of Bronglais hospital but want to see a PCi unit there to serve Mid Wales
• Want to see a permanent transfer ambulance based at Bronglais to free up other ambulances for the community
• Ensure offer is there to access Wrexham Maelor hospital as and when needed. This is particularly important for residents in North Montgomeryshire
• Need to enhance transport links with Wrexham including;
• Pressure Westminster Government to fund a bypass for Pant and Llanymynech
• Press for a study to reopen the railway line from Welshpool to Gobowen as part of the Mid Wales Growth deal
• Want to see a 24-hour ambulance station based in Llanidloes
• Want to see the development of the new integrated hospital at Newtown as soon as possible
Cllr Vaughan added: “At present, the nearest PCi units for the treatment of stroke victims are at Bodelwyddan, Wolverhampton or Swansea.
"Bearing in mind the need to arrive at these specialist units within 1.5 hours then it is imperative that we get a unit based in Mid Wales.
"This development combined with the other proposals as highlighted would be a positive development for Powys and ensure that we have parity of service with the rest of Wales.”