The consultation into proposals that could see hospital beds cut in Powys will go live at 3pm on Monday, October 5, a health chief has confirmed.

At a meeting of Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) on Wednesday, September 30, members received an update on how preparations for the 14-week-long consultation have progressed.

The board had agreed to hold the consultation on a number of proposals under the Better Together banner at a meeting earlier this month.

Deputy director for engagement, communication and corporate governance Adrian Osborne said: “Following the decision of the board on September 16, we have been undertaking detailed planning in readiness for a period of full and open consultation.

“Based on our readiness and assurance assessment, we are confident we will be ready to go live with the consultation on October 5. Our target launch time is 3pm.

“That will allow digital and online checks to be made ahead of the launch so that we have space and time during Monday morning to check it’s all working before it goes live.”

Mr Osborne continued: “Consultations aren’t referendums. This is about truly testing the detailed analysis that has already been made, checking out new ideas and information that may not have been fully considered, and re-considering the way options have been weighted against each other.

“It will be absolutely essential that the information we hear is analysed and published and that, as a board, you are able to demonstrate how contributions have influenced decisions you intend taking in the spring of 2027.”

Independent board member Mick Giannasi asked: “What are we going to do through the consultation process to help communities see this as a genuine consultation rather than a process which leads to a conclusion that has already been reached?

“What are we doing to take people with us?”

Mr Osborne said: “As a board, I recognise that you are under no illusions that these are astonishingly contentious issues. People care deeply about services that have been in their communities for many years.”

He explained that he expected to hear a “wide range of opinions”, including opposition to the proposals, from a myriad of different ways that feed into it.

Mr Osborne said: “A mid-point review will be really important for that, because we will be monitoring who we have or have not heard from.”

He explained that this would allow the team to decide where to “focus further capacity in the later part of the consultation period, in order to make sure people have had the opportunity to bring their voice about this important consultation about the future.”

Mr Giannasi responded: “You have quite clearly thought all this through and it’s reassuring to hear the depths we will be going to.”

PTHB vice-chairwoman Rhiannon Beaumont-Wood said: “A really important item in terms of launching the consultation, we genuinely want people to engage with this process.”

The board went on to agree the report.

The consultation is expected to run until January 10, 2027, and will include 13 drop-in events across Powys.

The proposals are:

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

• Or cut inpatient beds 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.