Improving Health Provision in Mid Wales
Updated: November 2024
Changes to Llanidloes Hospital and other Cottage hospitals
Over the Summer, Powys Teaching Health Board announced proposed temporary changes to the provision of services at local cottage hospitals. There was particular concern with a downgrading of services at Llanidloes War Memorial Hospital. I attended a very well attended public meeting in Llanidloes in August, in which residents from Llanidloes and the surrounding area attended.
Not only did the hundreds of members of the public outline their concerns about the health boards plans to make changes to the provision of services at Llanidloes Hospital, but it was also clear from the meeting that current and former GPs, and other local health professionals oppose the Health Boards plans. I have a concern that what the Health Board refer to as a temporary change to the provision, will become a permanent change. I was further concerned that a downgrading of services, will make it more difficulty to retain and recruit staff.
In a meeting held in October (2024), the Health Board approved proposals that will change the model of inpatient care in Llanidloes for a six-month period, with implementation expected by December 2024.
I have raised our concerns directly in the Senedd and with Ministers several times, recently asking the First Minister to consider the true adequacy of this consultation process and to clarify if the proposed changes really are temporary. The fact that these downgrades are driven by financial constraints does not instil confidence.
When I pressed the First Minister on this issue, she suggested that service changes fall solely under the remit of local health boards, distancing the Welsh Government from the realities facing our hospitals. Yet, I believe the Welsh Government has a responsibility to provide more than strategic direction, they should be working with health boards to ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of communities, not just financial pressures.
I will continue to raise our concerns in the Senedd and with the health board.
New Mid Wales Health Facility
After many years of campaigning, a new 32 bed hospital and health facility will be built in Newtown and will work side-by-side with the current network of community hospitals in Machynlleth, Llanidloes and Welshpool and district general hospitals around our borders, this will ensure that we receive the right treatment much closer to home.
Powys Teaching Health Board and Powys County Council are leading the North Powys Wellbeing Programme project. Both organisations, working with others, are continuing to develop plans. The plans will need the approval of the Welsh Government, who have previously also committed their support to the new hospital and facility. Plans are also being developed by Powys County Council for the replacement of a new school build, Ysgol Calon y Dderwen, which is currently on the site where the new health hub in Newtown will be located.
Whilst I am pleased that all organisations have continued to commit their support to the project, I am disappointed with the pace of progress. The public consultation on the proposals which were scheduled for early 2024 have not yet began, and I don’t believe the Welsh Government or Powys Health Board have progressed plans as quickly as they had previously committed to.
Following meetings with the health board over the summer, I am now waiting for further details around timescales of the project which should be available soon. I remain hopeful that the new hospital will be progressed in 2026 / 2027 and that the new facility will lead to a much needed and improved health and wellbeing services in our area; with enhanced health checks and appointments being offered locally, with more minor operations being able to be delivered in Powys rather than having to travel out of county.
New Emergency Service Provision in Shrewsbury
In October (2024) I visited the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Construction has been progressing for several months as part of a plan to establish it as the main emergency hospital for north Powys, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. This is an exciting development for us in Mid Wales, as it will mean access to enhanced life-saving emergency care in Shrewsbury.
The services planned are more significant than a standard A&E department. The plans also mean the return of the women and children’s consultant-led inpatient service return to Shrewsbury, Head and neck department, critical care and the stroke unit is also being brought back to Shrewsbury.
The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital will specialise in Emergency Care, while the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford will become a Planned Care centre, with both hospitals maintaining 24-hour Urgent Care centres.
During my visit in October I was able to view the work that has begun on the new four-story expansion to support these services. Visitors to the hospital this year may have noticed some disruption, as construction ramps up to bring these vital improvements to life.
There are a series of road show sessions being organised by Shrewsbury Hospital which includes a community event at Welshpool Livestock Market on Monday 9th December from 10.00am – 2.00pm, in which I will also be attending. There will be clinicians and the programme team present at the event who will be able to answer questions about what the programme will mean and how it will improve patient care for our Montgomeryshire community.
People can attend the drop-in event between 10.00am and 2.00pm, there are no appointments required.
I believe the plans will vastly reduce current A&E waiting times at both hospitals, as well as ambulance turnaround periods. The changes and investment will help the trust to continue to confront its wider challenges and make the necessary reforms to attract top class consultants and clinicians.
GP and Dentist Recruitment
Along with the British Medical Association Cymru Wales (BMA) I held an event in the Senedd in July (2024) in support of their campaign ‘Save our Surgeries’.
BMA Cymru launched their ‘Save our Surgeries’ campaign in June 2023. The Save Our Surgeries campaign asks Welsh Government to commit to a rescue package for General Practice, to provide GPs and their patients with the support they need. Survey data, which was shared with members of the Senedd at BMA Cymru Wales’ Save Our Surgeries event today, exposed an alarming 87% of GPs feared their rising workloads were impacting patient safety as Wales saw its 100th GP surgery close this year.
The continued unsustainable workload for GP’s hasn’t improved and pressures are usually greater in the winter months.
There is a critical need for investment in our healthcare infrastructure and it is of critical importance that we ensure that our surgeries have the resources they need to serve communities across Montgomeryshire effectively. Over recent years I have spoken to GP’s locally who have outlined to me directly the pressures they are under, and I am fully aware that many practices do not have the full complement of doctors that are needed to serve the population.
The recruitment of dentists in Montgomeryshire also continues to be difficult. I continue to call on the Welsh government to work with the British Dental Association to allow dental practises to increase their number of Welsh NHS patients. I have also called for the Welsh Government to boost the number of dentists by refunding tuition fees for dentists that work in Wales for five years after their studies.
There are many residents who are unable to get an appointment to see an NHS dentist, and in the last few months the last full-time NHS dentist in Newtown moved out of the area to work in England. I have repeatedly said to the previous Health Minister and now the First Minister the current NHS dentistry contract is not working for dentists, a new contact must be agreed, and that the Welsh Government need to make financial packages available to attract experienced dentists to come and work in rural Wales.
I will continue to raise my concerns of both GP and Dentist recruitment with the Welsh Government.