Changes to Newtown Hospital start on Monday

"Temporary" changes to the opening hours of minor injury unit’s (MIU) and centralising some inpatient hospital care in Newtown will be fully operational from Monday.

At Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB)  meeting on Wednesday, November 27 members were given an update on how the “temporary” changes are being implemented.

PTHB chairman Carl Cooper said: “There continues to be considerable public interest in these changes.

“We have committed ourselves as a board to keep a close eye on their implementation, evaluation and impact.”

Executive director of people and culture Debra Wood-Lawson said, " Work has continued to prepare for implementing the plans.

“On the planned closures of MIU’s overnight, this went live on November 18.

“It was reported that all was going well with no adverse or unforeseen issues arising.”

Turning on the centralising for the ready to go home and rehabilitation units Ms Wood-Lawson said: “While there is a further meeting this week to formally sign off standard operating procedures, there were no issues raised at the strategic change programme board (meeting) yesterday and it was agreed we should move to full implementation on December 2.

“This will be closely monitored, and escalation processes are in place should something unexpected occur.

She added that there is a “digital leaflet” already in circulation and a “video” from health chiefs explaining the changes was about to finalised and published later this week.

Board member, Simon Wright said: “It’s really encouraging to have this report that sets out how things are progressing since the decision was taken.”

Powys director of patient forum Llais, Katie Blackburn said: “Llais intends to visit the hospitals and MIUs in February as part of our ongoing programme of listening of patient experiences and I hope it would feed into that evaluation.”

The board noted the update, and further reports will be provided to their meetings in January and March next year ahead of a fuller six month review at the end of the temporary service change period.

The decision on the temporary changes was first made in July.

However, due to the backlash from the Powys public, the health board delayed implementing the changes while a six-week engagement process on the proposals took place.

After receiving an updated report that included feedback from the engagement process, the board agreed to the changes at a meeting in October. The changes will be in place for a six-month trial period.

The changes are due to the health board’s financial crisis which is seeing it  grapple with a deficit budget of just under £23 million – which could balloon to £33 million.

Opening times at the Minor Injury Units (MIU) at  Brecon War Memorial Hospital have reduced from open for 24 hours to 12 hours from, 8am to 8pm.

Llandrindod Wells Memorial Hospital MIU which was open from 7am to 12am is now open from 8am to 8pm,

Two wards, Llanidloes War Memorial Hospital and Bronllys Hospital, will specialise in getting patients fit and ready to go home.

Patients who need rehabilitation following illnesses or conditions such as strokes will be cared for at Brecon’s War Memorial Hospital and Newtown’s Montgomeryshire County Infirmary.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service