Responding to the news that Powys Teaching Health Board are to cut opening times at the Minor Injury Units in Brecon and Llandrindod Wells War Memorial Hospitals, James Evans MS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire, said:
"These changes are once again a bitter blow to the people of Brecon & Radnorshire. We are all aware of the dire ambulance response times here, the difficulty in getting a GP appointment, the huge waits in our A&E departments in the major hospitals. To reduce our Minor Injury capacity at this time will only put yet more pressures on the rest of the NHS”
"PTHB cite budgetary pressures and staffing issues and say this is not the best use of their resources. I beg to differ. These units are often the difference between life and death in emergency situations and can be a place of safety until the emergency ambulance arrives.
"I've met with the Chief Executive Hayley Thomas to voice my concerns and urge her to look at cutting her management structure and back-office roles before taking the hatchet to frontline services. I welcome the move to create more specialist units in the wards at Brecon Hospital – I have long championed for there to be a stroke rehabilitation centre there, but this should not be at the expense of the ward in Bronllys hospital or a reduction in our MIU services”.
"We must all take part in the Health Board consultation and keep what little services we currently have in Brecon & Radnorshire."
