A permanent decision on “temporary” changes to minor injury unit opening hours and the centralisation of some inpatient hospital care in Powys will be taken later this year.

At a meeting Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) today (Wednesday), members unanimously agreed to fold the decision on the temporary changes into the health board’s wider “Better Together” transformation programme.

Board members received a report from executive medical director Dr Kate Wright which recommended that the changes remain in place for the time being, following a six-month review of their implementation.

She explained that the changes had seen a 50 per cent drop in agency/bank staffing costs in the hospital units and there had been a 23 per cent reduction of stay in the “Ready To Go Home” units compared with the same time frame in 2023/2024.

On the rehabilitation units, Dr Wright told board members that the length of stay had reduced by seven per cent.

Dr Wright also said that the findings had also been “positive” on the changes to the MIUs.

Dr Wright said: “Workforce utilisation has improved, and expenditure has reduced, there’s been no use of agency staff and a reduction of using bank staff.

“In Brecon the cost per patient has reduced from £69 to £51 and in Llandrindod from £63 to £54.”

“There have been no increased attendances to primary care or ED (Emergency Department) out of county.”

PTHB chairman Dr Carl Cooper said: “The recommendation is essentially we extend the temporary service change because it would not make sense to enter into consultation about them becoming permanent at this stage.

“This is because we have a wider programme of transformation underway and therefore this needs to be part of our Better Together approach.

“I just want assurance that this isn’t kicking the can down the road and that we will be rolling this into Better Together.

“Decisions will be made soon as part of that programme.”

PTHB chief executive, Hayley Thomas said: “That is definitely the case, and it will be part of the Better Together programme going into the autumn.

“That’s part of the reason in trying to assure that we give the public the opportunity to shape those options in the medium to long term.”

The changes were originally agreed last summer as part of the health board’s attempts to claw back a £23 million budget deficit last year.

Due to the public backlash against the proposal, the health board conducted a six-week engagement process in August and September.

The board met in October and approved the move for a second time.

Opening times at the minor injury units (MIUs) at Breconshire War Memorial Hospital were reduced from open for 24 hours to 12 hours from, 8am to 8pm.

Llandrindod Wells Memorial Hospital MIU, which was open from 7am to 12am, is now open from 8am to 8pm.

The Graham Davies Ward in Llanidloes War Memorial Hospital and the Llewelyn Ward in Bronllys Hospital specialise in getting patients fit and ready to go home.

Patients that need rehabilitation following illnesses or conditions such as strokes are looked after at Epynt Ward in Brecon’s War Memorial Hospital and Bronheulog Ward in Newtown’s Montgomeryshire County Infirmary.

The overnight MIU closure was implemented on November 18 while the hospital ward changes came into force on December 2.