The workshops, which are taking place across Powys in October and November,1 are being organised on behalf of PTHB by social research agency Opinion Research Services (ORS). Recruitment is being undertaken by specialist fieldwork agency FieldMouse.

ORS has confirmed to Rebeca Phillips MS that participants in the workshops receive £70 for their time, with these payments deriving from PTHB’s overall consultation budget. ORS have also confirmed that individuals who work in certain professions or organisations, including the NHS, are excluded from participation.

In light of this information, Rebeca Phillips MS has asked Pete Hopgood, PTHB’s acting chief executive, for clarity on the following:

• How the workshops are a good use of public money when PTHB’s budget is already stretched, and especially when the already existing ‘Better Together’ public consultation appears to serve the same purpose;

• What PTHB is hoping to achieve from these workshops that cannot be achieved through the ‘Better Together’ public consultation; and

• How PTHB, ORS and FieldMouse are ensuring that workshop participants are broadly representative of the demographic makeup of Powys and are expressing their views independently, given the financial incentives provided and the fact that the workshops exclude Powys residents who work in certain professions.

Rebeca Phillips said: “Powys Teaching Health Board’s plans to cut hospital beds in Powys are already causing a great deal of anxiety to residents. I have been raising awareness of this issue since my election in May.

“I am therefore concerned that the Health Board has seen it fit to commission a series of research workshops that is separate to the ongoing public consultation and that offers financial rewards to those who take part.

“At a time when the Health Board’s budget is stretched, I urge Mr Hopgood to justify how these paid workshops represent a good use of public money. I am particularly concerned that when financial incentives are offered, there is a risk of people’s opinions being influenced.

“I also question why the Health Board feels the need to pay two agencies to undertake this work when a public consultation that is meant to serve the exact same purpose is ongoing.

“As always, I continue to urge residents to respond to the consultation – with the hope that the Health Board will take all responses on board.”