Changes to Powys hospitals could be made permanent
Controversial temporary changes which saw the shortening of opening hours at minor injury units and the conversion of wards in Llanidloes and Bronllys into 'ready to go home units' could be made permanent.
It comes amid widespread reforms to local healthcare, with chief executive officer Hayley Thomas warning elsewhere in the meeting that there were "unpalatable decisions" to be negotiated to cut down on costs.
The hospital changes have been trialled over the last six months and a report presented at a meeting of Powys Teaching Health Board today (July 30) recommended that they be continued until the autumn.
They will then be put out to public consultation with other changes planned as part of the 'Better Together' which Ms Thomas said was part of a 'wider programme of change under way'.
The board is being asked to find swingeing cuts by the Welsh Government.
Over the last six months, Bronllys and Llanidloes War Memorial Hospital have been designated as 'Ready To Go Home' units while Brecon and Newtown supported patients 'who need more specialised inpatient rehabilitation'.
Along with this, there has been a shortening of opening times at Minor Injury Units at Llandrindod Wells War Memorial Hospital and in Brecon.
A report presented by Executive Medical Director, Dr Kate Wright, found that the changes had produced a number of benefits.
At Minor Injury Units there had been an ease on staffing issues. This saw a reduction of agency and bank staff and brought down costs by nine per cent.
There has also been 'the elimination of lone working' which had been welcomed by staff. These issues had previously caused at least six 'ad hoc closures' at units in the year before the changes.
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Multiple concerns were raised about ward changes, which were designed to reduce efficiencies and address cost and staffing problems.
GP surgeries warned that the changes would be 'disastrous' and called them 'a downgrade by stealth'.
The report found concerns have been raised by staff about 'a loss of skills' in the new units.
Katie Blackburn from Llais, the independent body representing patient concerns, found that while that most responses had been positive, some had raised concerns about the distance they had been placed away from home.
Despite this Dr Wright said there were early positive signs. These included a 50 per cent reduction in bank and agency costs, an 'increase of patient flow through Newtown', stays in hospitals being reduced by seven percent as well as a reduction in reported pressure sores.
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