The health board is considering extending the downgrade of a Llanidloes hospital unit.

Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) will this week discuss extending the temporary changes to Llanidloes and Bronllys Hospitals that were brought in last December.

The changes saw Llanidloes and Bronllys Hospitals focus on getting patients fit to go home in ‘Ready to Go Home Units’, whilst further rehabilitative care for people with conditions such as strokes was centralised in Brecon and Newtown Hospitals.

The changes also reduced opening hours at Minor Injury Units in Brecon and Llandrindod Wells.

Despite branding the changes as “temporary”, on Thursday 30 July a board meeting will decide whether to extend these changes.

A statement from PTHB said: “When the temporary changes were approved, the health board recognised the very clear strength of public feeling expressed during the engagement, but also acknowledged the very significant risks if challenges to the quality and sustainability of services were not addressed.

“The recommendations due to be considered next week follow a comprehensive six-month evaluation of the temporary changes introduced in December.

“The evaluation found positive impacts, including improved service reliability, enhanced patient and staff safety, reduced staffing costs, and better patient outcomes.”

The extension would continue the reduced hours at the Minor Injury Units at Brecon and Llandrindod Wells from 8am-8pm hours, as well as maintaining the Ready to Go Home Units at Llanidloes and Bronllys, with rehabilitation services remaining in Brecon and Newtown.

The changes were originally proposed as a cost-saving measure, having estimated an annual budget deficit at just under £23 million in 2024 before the changes were proposed.

If approved, the changes would remain whilst a wider review of adult physical and mental health services in Powys, dubbed the Better Together Programme, continues.

Find out more about the Better Together Programme - https://pthb.nhs.wales/about-us/better-together/