FEARS have been raised that a rural medical centre is set to close.

Powys County Councillors, representing the Glantwymyn and Machynlleth areas, understand that Dyfi Valley Health has applied to Powys Teaching Health Board to apply to close Glantwymyn Health Centre.

This follows several months of reduced hours and services at the surgery

Dyfi Valley Health also runs a surgery at Machynlleth which is seven miles away.

Meetings took place last summer, to discuss reducing hours at Glantwymyn which was eventually implemented. This was due to a shortage of GPs.

Glantwymyn Powys county councillor, Elwyn Vaughan, said: "There is some anxiety about this.

"It was thought that this could have been the true aim of reducing the hours. We've had enough of the excuses

"We now need an open and transparent discussion between the health board and residents to ensure that a full services is received by all residents living in this area."

Machynlleth county councillor, Michael Williams (Independent), who is also a member of the town's patients forum, said: "We need to do whatever we can to retain the surgery, Closure has to be a last resort.

"Glantwymyn Health Centre serves a very wide area and I do feel for those served by this centre.

"At the very least it needs to be kept open to allow people time to adjust.

"And if it is closed the promise given that the decision can be revisited in the future if conditions change."

A spokesman for the Powys Teaching Health Board said: "The practice is finding that the situation is not sustainable and have asked that further steps be taken to prevent local services from collapsing completely.

"Dyfi Valley Health has submitted a request to Powys Teaching Health Board to close the premises at Cemmaes Road and consolidate their services in Machynlleth so that local primary care services are protected for the future.

"Part of our role as a health board is to consider this request carefully, and to identify what options might be available."

The Health Board says the process will involve "full engagement and consultation" with patients and communities. This will include communities in neighbouring counties.

The Health Board, said that  they expect to be able to share more information by early February.

They will then write to to all patients registered with the practice, as well as "stakeholders", to describe the challenges being faced by Dyfi Valley Health, to outline options for the future, and to seek views.

In 2017, Glantwymyn Health Centre took over Machynlleth Health Centre which at that time was being managed directly by the health board.

This merger created Dyfi Valley Health and at that time there was confidence that they had the staffing in place to maintain services at both premises.