This week The Brecon & Radnor Express received a complaint about Powys Teaching Health Board’s (PTHB) ‘Better Together’ drop-in events from Bronllys Wellbeing Park’s Chair Jacqui Wilding.

The drop-in events are designed for the public to discuss the proposals to healthcare cuts in Powys.

The proposals at play

The proposals are:

• Centralise inpatient bed provision across Brecon, Llandrindod Wells and Newtown hospitals.

• Or cut inpatient beds cut further with provision at Brecon and Newtown hospitals.

• Concentrate urgent care by establishing bigger centres in Brecon and Newtown – this would see minor injury units at Llandrindod Wells, Welshpool and Ystradgynlais close.

• The urgent care centres at Brecon and Newtown would also have a “minor illness and injury unit” at Llandrindod Wells.

• The last option is to centralise mental health services at Bronllys hospital.

A decision following the consultation is expected in the spring of 2027.

What was said:

Wilding expressed her disagreement that PTHB staff were not recording information and feedback at these drop-in events and believes they are a “waste of public funds.”

She said: “The consultation drop-ins that are being held and scheduled involve numerous senior executives and clinicians being tied up between 2-7pm at each event.

“That expense in itself is distasteful and surely unnecessary to have so many senior personnel however what is really grating is that no information is being recorded at these meetings and people still need to complete an online or paper questionnaire to have their voices heard. This is such a disappointment because none of this vital information will be used or shared with those interrogating the evidence of this so called consultation!”

The response

Powys Teaching Health Board responded to Jacqui’s comments. A spokesperson said: “Our Better Together drop-in events are designed to give people the opportunity to speak directly with health board colleagues, ask questions, discuss the proposals and understand what they could mean for local services.

“We are not treating informal conversations at the drop-in events as individual consultation responses. Instead, we are encouraging everyone who wishes their views to form part of the formal consultation to complete the consultation questionnaire, either online or on paper, or to provide a written response.

“There is an important reason for this. We want people's views to be captured accurately and in their own words, rather than relying on a member of staff to interpret or summarise what someone has said during a conversation at a busy drop-in event.

“We know that people have questions about Better Together so we have ensured that a range of people from our clinical and operational teams as well as members of the Board are at the events so that people can ask questions that help them decide how to respond. We believe giving communities that direct access to the people who understand and are responsible for our services is an important part of meaningful consultation.

“Staff at the events will continue to encourage and support people to submit their views through the consultation questionnaire so they can be properly considered as part of the consultation evidence. Submissions are also welcome in other formats, recognising the different accessibility and language needs across our communities.”

The PTHB Better Together consultation started on Monday, October 5, and is expected to run until January 10, 2027.