Following approval by the Board, Powys Teaching Health Board are going ahead with the temporary proposals to reduce MIU services and create ‘Ready to Go Home’ wards. Responding to this, James Evans MS said:
“This is a sad day for everyone in Powys. To reduce our Minor Injury Services and downgrade wards is the wrong decision. We have seen the slow erosion of healthcare services in Powys for many years now, losing Crug Ward in Brecon or Knighton Hospital to name just a few.
“I had hoped the board members would have recognised the difficulties residents already have in accessing healthcare and oppose these plans, especially as some of them have spent many years campaigning for better healthcare services, but sadly they did not. The board should be listening to the needs and the very real concerns of residents, many of whom put ideas forward at the public meetings on how to increase services and improve efficiencies in the area - but today's meeting just shows they are not listening.
“PTHB say they will monitor the effectiveness of the changes during this 'temporary' period of change, but it is not clear how they intend do this, what measures they will use or how they will know how many people cannot access a specific service. The Health Board still have a major budget deficit to resolve and yet within the past week the Health Board have advertised for an Assistant Director of Transformation & Value on £71k+ and a Deputy Director of Allied Health Professionals on £84k+.
“The Health Board need to take a long hard look at their management structure and ensure that every post is providing taxpayers with value for money, and work towards increasing frontline services rather than reducing them!”
