Powys Teaching Health Board will next week decide whether to continue the temporary changes made last year to the county’s minor injury units and community hospital services.

At a public meeting on Wednesday, July 30, board members will be asked to approve the extension of reduced opening hours at minor injury units (MIUs) in Brecon and Llandrindod Wells, and to maintain the restructured inpatient services at community hospitals in Bronllys, Llanidloes, Brecon and Newtown.

The recommendations come following a six-month evaluation of the temporary measures introduced in December 2024, which the health board says has shown “positive impacts” including improved service reliability, enhanced patient and staff safety, reduced staffing costs and better patient outcomes.

If approved, the changes will remain in place on a temporary basis, pending decisions made through the wider Better Together programme – the board’s review of the future shape of adult physical and mental health community services in Powys.

Among the services under consideration are the 8am to 8pm opening hours at Brecon and Llandrindod Wells MIUs, down from 24 hours and 7am to midnight respectively, as well as the “Ready to Go Home” inpatient units at Bronllys and Llanidloes hospitals. The changes also include strengthened rehabilitation services based in Brecon and Newtown.

The proposals have proved controversial since they were first announced last summer. Following a period of strong public opposition, the health board delayed implementation and held a six-week engagement process before agreeing to introduce the changes for a six-month period starting in December 2024.

At the time, the board pointed to mounting financial pressures and long-standing staffing difficulties. Between January and May 2024, Brecon MIU had to close 50 times overnight due to lack of staff. The board also said that very few patients - on average 1–2 per night - were attending out-of-hours, and most could be safely seen during the day or referred elsewhere.

Despite these explanations, public concern remained high. Two meetings held last summer were hosted by the Liberal Democrats - one in Llandrindod Wells and a packed event in Brecon - saw residents and elected officials raise fears that the changes were not truly temporary and could lead to permanent downgrading of local services.