A consultation is set to be launched on a shake-up of the health service in mid and west Wales that includes the mooted downgrading of stroke services at Bronglais Hospital.

A Hywel Dda University Health Board meeting on 29 May will be asked to sign off on beginning a consultation on a new Clinical Services Plan.

The plan includes turning Bronglais’ stroke unit into a ‘Treat and Transfer’ Unit, a move that has been greeted with uproar by local politicians and residents and led to the formation of a residents’ group in a bid to put pressure on the health board to retain services at the Aberystwyth hospital.

Aberystwyth Town Council threw its weight behind the campaign led by the Protect Bronglais Services (PBS) campaign group after the plan to reduce stroke services was revealed earlier this year.

Proposals being considered by Hywel Dda University Health Board will see Bronglais’ stroke unit turned into a ‘Treat and Transfer’ Unit.

The plan has caused great concern, with a group of Aberystwyth residents forming the Protect Bronglais Services (PBS) campaign group in a bid to secure services at the hospital.

At a meeting on 24 March, Aberystwyth Town Council backed a motion proposed by Penparcau councillor Bryony Davies that will see the council “continue to champion the workers and services at Bronglais.”

Montgomeryshire Senedd Member Russell George said the move could have “devastating implications for patients in Mid Wales.”

Mr George said the unit “plays a critical role” in serving large parts of his constituency, and the move would mean patients could face being moved on to another hospital outside of mid Wales.

The three Dyfi valley Plaid Cymru councillors - Elwyn Vaughan Glantwymyn, Alwyn Evans Machynlleth and Gary Mitchell for Llanbrynmair & Trefeglwys - said the plans were of “great concern” and would “inevitably have a huge impact on residents in the Dyfi valley and Llanidloes area.”

“At present the stroke pathway facility at Bronglais is gold standard,” the councillors said in a joint statement.

The CEO and chair of the health board braved the first public meeting against the proposals on 24 January which saw 200 people attend at Waunfawr Hall.

Hywel Dda Chief Executive Professor Philip Kloer told that meeting that the changes “are not driven by finance at all.”

“In fact, there’s the potential these changes might need investment which would be difficult,” he said.

“[The proposals are] driven by the clinicians who have come forward with concerns about access to the highest quality of care and feel it important to look at.

The plan will also see changes across Hywel Dda hospitals on critical care response; Urgent and Emergency Paediatrics; Planned Care (Dermatology, Elective Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, and Urology); Emergency General Surgery; Professions and Health Science Diagnostics (Endoscopy and Radiology) and Primary Care and Community.

If given the green light, the consultation will run from 12 weeks from Monday 2 June 2025 to Sunday 31 August 2025 and will be supported by independent Quality Assurance and Consultancy services.