£2m+ maintenance bill for Welshpool hospital
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
At this week’s Health and Care Scrutiny Committee fears were raised for the future of several hospitals in Montgomeryshire following news that over £14 million needs to be spent on the maintenance of hospital buildings in Newtown, Welshpool, Llanidloes and Machynlleth, with Welshpool’s Victoria Memorial Hospital facing a £2,057,913 bill.
This comes from a report on the North Powys Wellbeing programmes which is part of making a case for a new mini-hospital to be built at The Park, in Newtown.
Cllr Gareth Morgan, said: “I only read it today, when I was having my breakfast and it did not exactly help my digestion. The report that indicated that 14 million needs to be spent on all four community hospitals in Montgomeryshire.
“What are the implications to this? Does it mean they are no longer safe places for patients?
“Does it mean that the (PTHB) is going to carry out these improvements and repairs that have not been done over the years? I think it’s something that we would need to address.”
Committee chairman Cllr Gwilym Willams, said: “This is the first I have heard about it, it’s a large figure.”
PCC head of social services commissioning, Dylan Owen was asked if he knew anything?
Mr Owen said: “I think it’s a question for the health board.”
Cllr Williams added: “If you are all agreeable we ask the chief executive of the health board to come for another meeting and that would be one of the questions.”
The committee agreed to invite Mrs Shillabbeer to a future meeting.
The North Powys Wellbeing programme run jointly by PCC and PTHB, was given £2.5 million by the Welsh Government in May 2019 to start the health and wellbeing project.
Part of this project would be to build a small or community hospital, bringing health and social services together under one roof.
The area being earmarked for this development is The Park, Newtown, near two schools.
A new build school, following their merger, could become part of the wellbeing/health hub.
Back in September 2019 Mrs Shillabeer told councillors that her ambition was to see this facility built in five years.
She also stressed that there were no hospital closures planned for Powys.
The maintenance bill is:
· £4.637,764 at Bro Ddyfi Community Hospital in Machynlleth
· £3, 256,121 at Newtown Hospital (Montgomery County Infirmary)
· £4,105,787 at Llanidloes War Memorial hospital
· £2,057,913 at Welshpool’s Victoria Memorial Hospital
Three Newtown clinics also need investment:
· £486, 906 at Ynys y Plant
· £520,156 at Park Street
· £405,667 at Bro Hafren
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