Fears raised over the future of stroke services

Families in Montgomeryshire could face up to nine-hour round trips to visit loved ones recovering from a stroke if options under consideration by Hywel Dda University Health Board go ahead, local Senedd Member Russell George has warned.

The MS for Montgomeryshire raised the issue in the Senedd this week, highlighting the impact on patients and families across Mid Wales. Stroke recovery services are currently provided at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth, but the health board has published options that could see them moved to Llanelli or Haverfordwest.

Mr George said such a change would mean four- to six-hour round trips by car for many Mid Wales residents, and even longer by public transport. He warned that removing the service from Bronglais would cut patients off from vital family support and ultimately hinder recovery.

He added that transport links across Mid Wales were already poor, making the prospect of such long journeys even more challenging for relatives.

Some residents in the north of Powys currently use services in Shropshire, which are closer for them than Aberystwyth, while many south and west of Newtown rely on Bronglais Hospital.

In response to Mr George’s questions, the Health Secretary said that “what has been presented are not proposals, and that no decision has been taken.”

But Mr George accused the Welsh Government of “hiding behind semantics,” insisting that the options published by Hywel Dda were effectively proposals.

“Moving stroke recovery services away from Bronglais Hospital would isolate patients from their families and hinder recovery,” he said. “These relocation options should be scrapped. 

"People in Mid Wales deserve timely, practical access to stroke recovery services. Ministers must stop hiding behind semantics and rule out removing services from Bronglais.”

He has urged the Welsh Government to intervene and for the health board to commit to keeping stroke recovery services at Bronglais, which he described as a “vitally important hospital” for the region.