Powys Teaching Health Board members will meet today to decide whether plans for one of the biggest reorganisations of health services in the county for a generation should go out to public consultation.
Board members are being asked to approve the Better Together Phase 1 Pre-Consultation Business Case and agree a formal public consultation on proposed changes to community hospital beds, urgent care services and mental health provision across Powys.
The decision will be made at a board meeting on Wednesday afternoon (September 16).
According to board papers, directors are being asked to approve the consultation plans and confirm that no final decisions on service changes will be made until the public consultation has been completed and feedback considered.
If approved, the consultation is expected to begin in the week commencing October 5 and run for 14 weeks.
The proposals form part of the health board's Better Together programme, which argues that increasing demand, workforce shortages, ageing buildings and financial pressures mean the current model of delivering services is no longer sustainable.
Among the options set to be put before the public are proposals to reduce the number of community hospital inpatient sites, create enhanced urgent care centres in Newtown and Brecon, and concentrate all adult and older adult mental health inpatient beds on a single site.
For physical health services, two options have been recommended for consultation.
One would reduce community inpatient beds to three sites in Newtown, Llandrindod Wells and Brecon, while the other would reduce them further to just two sites in Newtown and Brecon, alongside expanded community services aimed at supporting more people at home.
For urgent care, the health board is proposing either two Urgent Care Centres in Newtown and Brecon plus a Minor Illness and Injury Unit in Llandrindod Wells, or a model based solely around two Urgent Care Centres in Newtown and Brecon.
The mental health proposal would see all functional and organic inpatient beds brought together on a single site in the Bronllys or Brecon area, supported by enhanced community services and a new sanctuary or safe place service as an alternative to admission.
Board papers stress that approval today would only grant permission to begin consultation and would not amount to approval of any specific option.
The report states: "No decision on a preferred option will be made until the period of public consultation is concluded."
The health board says the proposals have been developed over a 15-month period involving engagement with patients, staff, clinicians, local authorities, third-sector organisations and other stakeholders.
Should board members approve the plans today, residents across Powys will have the opportunity to comment on proposals that could significantly reshape how community, urgent care and mental health services are delivered across the county in the coming years.
Board members are due to consider the proposals from 1pm today. The meeting will be streamed live and can be watched via the Powys Teaching Health Board website.
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