Powys Health Board snubs Welshpool public meeting

Pictures provided by Phil Blagg

Welshpool clearly delivered its message last night to Powys Teaching Health Board to ‘keep your hands off our hospital”, it was just a shame they weren’t there to hear it.

At a packed Town Hall, Members of the Senedd, county and town councillors joined members of the public to discuss the proposed cuts that will decimate services at Welshpool Hospital.

The meeting was organised by the Mayor, Cllr Bill Rowell (pictured), who delivered a rousing opening address that addressed the impact that closing the beds ward and removing the X-Ray and Minor Injury units will have on the people of the area.

But the 200-plus attendees gasped in disbelief when it was revealed that both PTHB and Llais, the non-departmental public body of the Welsh Government that is supposed to promote patients’ interests to the NHS Wales and social care in Wales, had declined invitations to attend.

It would have been an ideal opportunity for them to address a defiant Welshpool audience, but PTHB have told us they will only be focussing on their own organised public consultation events (their response is below).

But, nevertheless, the evening went ahead with Cllr Rowell declaring: “If it isn’t broke, then don’t fix it and, for sure, it isn’t broke!”.

“We are told that no hospitals will be closed, but the word “yet” hovers over that statement.”

Local MP Steve Witherden was unable to escape Parliament to attend so another defiant message was delivered on his behalf with a rallying call to “oppose, oppose, oppose”.

Member of the Senedd, Elwyn Vaughan, said that “these proposals are wrong on so many levels”.

“How can getting rid of 100 beds (in Powys) make any sense when we have 38% of our Powys population over the age of 65 in 10 years’ time?

“We need to keep and enhance services. We have seen the benefits that the dialysis unit brought here so let’s see what else can be brought locally.

“PTHB is not fit for purpose and should be got rid of in my opinion. There are 25% more NHS staff in Wales after Covid but not on the frontline. Get rid of the costly bureaucracy and put patients back at the heart.”

Several speakers stressed the impact that the changes will have on social care and said that the money-saving exercise merely pushed the costs onto other organisations like Powys County Council, and the general public.

Using the health board’s own slogan for the public consultation discussing the plans, Welshpool county and town councillor, Richard Church, said: “Stand together, better together, against what is proposed. Let’s tell the health board where they can take their proposals.”

But the most startling revelation that the health board should have heard came from retired doctor, Declan Ryan, who said: “I have extensively canvassed amongst staff and there is not one that is in favour of this. All medical colleagues are in complete disbelief.”

So what next?

There are two big events coming up that we urge all of our readers to support and don't forget to sign the two petitions if you haven't already:

March and Rally for November 14 when a bed will be pushed at the front of protesters marching through the town from 10.30am (for an 11am start). The meeting point is Maesydre.

Public ‘Better Together’ drop-in on Tuesday, December 1 when Powys Teaching Health Board will be in Welshpool Town Hall to discuss these ludicrous proposals in person. You can drop in any time between 2pm-7pm.

There will also be a ‘Better Together’ drop-in for our Llanfair Caereinion readers on Thursday, November 19, at The Institute (2pm-7pm).

This is what PTHB told us when we asked them why they didn’t attend last night.

“The Better Together consultation has now launched, and full information is available from our website: Better Together.

“The health board is putting in place a programme of events and activities that aims to reach all parts of the county. This includes our programme of 13 drop-in events (including an event in Welshpool on 1 December 2026) and a series of online events. More information about these public events is available from the health board website at Consultation Events.

“The consultation period also includes a targeted programme of outreach to community groups to help ensure that we hear voices less heard to gather vital feedback on the Better Together proposal and to inform future decisions.

“This plan is carefully designed to ensure a fair and balanced approach for people across the county, but also to ensure fairness for hard working health board staff who will be delivering this roadshow of events alongside their day-to-day responsibilities for delivering and planning health services for the people of Powys, particularly as we move into the winter period. This does mean that we are respectfully declining invitations to attend other meetings to help ensure fair access across the county.”