A petition signed by 7,930 people opposing proposed changes to Powys community hospitals has been handed to the health board ahead of a meeting which could see the plans go out to public consultation.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds MS and Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick handed in the petition at Powys Teaching Health Board's headquarters in Bronllys, alongside Powys councillors and campaigners.

The proposals could reduce community hospital inpatient beds from the current 146 across eight sites to around 90 across three hospitals, or around 60 across two.

Under both options, inpatient beds would be removed from Ystradgynlais, Welshpool, Llanidloes, Machynlleth, Knighton and Bronllys. One option would also remove inpatient beds from Llandrindod Wells.

The proposals would also see changes to urgent care services and the consolidation of adult and older adult mental health inpatient services onto a single site in the Bronllys or Brecon area.

No changes have been decided.

The health board said it welcomed the petition as part of the wider discussion about the future of health and care services in Powys.

Helen Bushell, the board's director of corporate governance, said: “We know that local health services matter deeply to the people of Powys, and we welcome the passion and commitment that communities continue to show.

“The submission of the petition is an important opportunity for local people to make their views known, and we are pleased to receive it as part of the wider discussion about the future of health and care services in our county.

“We want to hear from communities, residents, patients, carers, staff and partners. Listening to different experiences, perspectives and ideas helps us better understand what matters most to the people we serve.

“We know there are a range of views about the challenges facing healthcare in Powys and how best to address them. Open and constructive discussion is an important part of ensuring any future decisions are as informed as possible.”

She added: “Whatever people's views may be, we are committed to listening and engaging respectfully throughout this process.”

The Liberal Democrats said the petition showed opposition to the proposals across Powys, pointing to public meetings attended by around 500 people in Llanidloes, hundreds in Ystradgynlais and around 100 each in Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells.

Mr Chadwick said the petition would continue to collect signatures and called on Welsh Government ministers to intervene.

He said: “Nearly 8,000 people have already signed this petition and more signatures are still coming in. Combined with the extraordinary turnouts at our public meetings, the strength of opposition across Powys could hardly be clearer.

"But this isn't just about the Health Board. The Plaid Cymru Welsh Government holds the purse strings for our NHS, and now is the time for the Health Minister to intervene.

“You cannot expect a rural health board to make enormous savings and then stand back when it proposes savage cuts to the services people rely on. If Ministers want these cuts avoided, they need to give Powys the resources to avoid them.

"Plaid Cymru promised a rural premium for public services before the election. Powys is one of the most rural parts of Wales, so where is it when we need it?

"This petition doesn't end today. We'll keep collecting signatures and we'll be taking them directly to the Health Minister too."

Ms Dodds said the signatures represented “thousands of people who are deeply worried about the future of healthcare in their communities”.

"We've listened to residents in packed halls across Powys, and the message has been the same everywhere: people will not accept seeing their community hospitals hollowed out,” she said.

“The Plaid Cymru Welsh Government cannot wash its hands of this. It controls NHS funding in Wales and needs to give Powysb the money required to protect these services.

"Plaid Cymru promised rural Wales that the extra cost of delivering public services in communities like ours would be recognised. This is their opportunity to prove that promise meant something.

"We will be taking this petition to Mabon ap Gwynfor as well. As Health Minister, he needs to listen to the thousands of people across Powys asking him to step in and protect their local health services."

If the health board agrees to proceed to consultation, it is due to begin on October 5 and run for 14 weeks.