James Evans MS has today criticised the announcement from Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) that they have approved the continuation of reduced opening hours for Minor Injury Units (MIUs) in Brecon and Llandrindod Wells.
James has been vocal in his opposition to these changes since they were first proposed in late 2024, raising concerns about patient safety, long travel distances, and the impact on access to emergency care in Powys.
Despite strong public feedback against the cuts, the Board has confirmed that these ‘temporary’ 8am–8pm MIU hours will remain in place while a wider review through the Better Together programme continues. The same applies to changes affecting rehabilitation services at Bronllys, Llanidloes, Brecon and Newtown.
James Evans MS said:
“Today’s decision by Powys Teaching Health Board to extend the temporary closures of our MIUs is a blow to healthcare services here in Powys. I fail to see how the Health Board’s evaluation found ‘positive impacts’. I hear of people having to travel out of County, considerable distances to access A&E departments, waiting hours and hours, only to be then treated as a second-class citizen because they are ‘out of area’. The so-called improvements in service reliability and patient safety quoted by PTHB has only improved because the MIUs are closed! And any cost saving as a result will be nullified by the cost of other Health Boards treating Powys patients in their A&E departments.
“Having no MIUs, no district nurses, after 8pm every night leaves Powys residents vulnerable. Travelling times, sometimes as much as an hour, to access A&E departments out of County, are a major concern and could be costing lives. Ambulance response times remain dire, and strokes are still not given the top priority in ambulance response times despite there being clear evidence between treatment time and health outcomes. Many patients are struggling to access a GP appointment in hours.“Today’s decision by PTHB is yet another example of how the financial situation is being prioritised over patient care. The decision made a few months ago, to delay Powys patients’ treatment in English hospital settings is already starting to cause serious suffering and harm to patients. I am hearing from constituents who, prior to this disastrous policy decision, were expecting to have operations in August, but instead they are now receiving letters telling them they will now likely wait two years for the operation. This is two years in pain waiting for a knee or hip operation, not being able to work, seeing their mobility reduced. All because of the Health Board’s finances, not because of capacity issues or lack of nurses.
“Having no major hospital of our own in Powys, we cannot afford to lose any of our healthcare services here in Powys and I urge the Health Board to look again at our MIUs and expand the services they can offer.”
