Local politicians have welcomed a Welsh Conservative commitment to maintain all existing emergency departments and to re-establish a 24 hour minor injury unit (MIU) in Newtown.
Newtown's MIU was based at Newtown Hospital until 2008, when it was moved to the town's Park Street Doctors Surgery where it is currently available between 8am and 6.30pm from Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. Outside of these hours, patients with minor injuries are advised to attend Welshpool Hospital Minor Injuries Unit.
Montgomeryshire AM, Russell George, said:
“Welsh Conservatives have long called for an end to hospital downgrading in Wales, which has forced numerous patients – and their relatives – to travel further for essential services.
“Extending the opening hours of Newtown’s minor injury unit would be an immediate focus for an incoming Welsh Conservative government, and I will be discussing this commitment with doctors and other health professionals over the coming weeks. Newtown, as Powys’s largest town, not only needs a 24/7 MIU, but it needs a hospital that can offer additional services.
“The Welsh Government has failed to follow the UK Government’s lead in protecting NHS spending and has deprived frontline services of over a billion pounds. It has consistently starved the Welsh NHS of the resources it needs to deliver a first class service, placing huge pressure on staff and patients alike.
“I am pleased that the Shadow Minister for Health, Darren Millar AM, has announced that, if there is a Welsh Conservative Government following the Assembly Election in May, £12 million will be directed towards minor injury units, and that Newtown will have a 24 hour, 7 days a week MIU.
“I am also pleased that a Welsh Conservative Government would establish a £20 million Community Hospital Development Fund to encourage the innovative use of community hospitals across Wales.”
The Chair of Newtown Patient Health Forum, Cllr. Joy Jones added:
"This would be brilliant news for Newtown. It is so important that we have a 24/7 minor injuries unit and it would be fantastic to see my campaign for a MIU in Newtown become a reality."