David Chadwick has made an urgent request to Chancellor Rachel Reeves for more healthcare funding to safeguard local NHS services.

In a letter sent to Ms Reeves today, the Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP outlined some of the concerns of his constituents, amid ongoing worries about proposed changes to health services in Powys.

Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) last month announced the Minor Injury Units (MIU) at Brecon War Memorial Hospital will close overnight from September. Llandrindod Wells War Memorial Hospital MIU will also see a reduction of its opening hours.

The health board cites budgetary pressures and staffing issues as the reason for the changes.

Four hospitals will take on a more specialised focus, with Bronllys and Llanidloes designated as “Ready To Go Home” units.

The health board said the changes are temporary, and will take place from September, for six months.

In today’s letter to Ms Reeves, Mr Chadwick says the Welsh Government has requested that PTHB makes £22.9 million in spending cuts for its next annual budget.

“As a result of these cuts, vital local services in my constituency are at risk,” Mr Chadwick writes.

“Many constituents have written to me to express their deep concern with the proposed changes. For local people, these proposals would mean travelling longer distances to hospitals in other counties. We live in the biggest constituency in Wales. Our area often experiences poor weather conditions, particularly during the winter months. On occasions, the roads are closed and these journeys become longer and more treacherous.”

Mr Chadwick goes on to say that the cost-cutting decisions threaten “to matters worse and transfer costs elsewhere”.

“Minor injuries can become serious injuries if not treated promptly,” he says.

“A&E services across Wales are already overwhelmed: these closures will lead to more people presenting themselves for treatment in crowded A&E departments with lengthy-waiting times or calling ambulances to travel long-distances.”

The MP added that despite health and healthcare budgets being devolved issue, the UK government “has a vital role” in addressing this, when setting budgets for devolved nations.

“For many years, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have campaigned against the mechanism used to calculate funding for Wales, the Barnett Formula, which uses population size to determine funding,” says Mr Chadwick.

“This overlooks the challenges associated with delivering healthcare across Wales, such as its rural geography, relatively elderly population and high levels of poverty. Brecon, Radnor and Cwm-Tawe’s needs are therefore not reflected in the Barnett Formula. A solution requires a needs-based assessment of delivering healthcare here.”

Speaking to the B&R today, Mr Chadwick said: “The services that will be impacted by these proposed changes provide a lifeline to people in Brecon, Radnor and Cwm-Tawe. I have written to the Chancellor to express my view that these changes are ill-thought through and ask her to intervene to make extra money available to the Welsh Government to protect our NHS.”

Mr Chadwick and Lib Dem colleague Jane Dodds MS have organised two public meetings this week to to discuss the proposed changes.

The meeting details are as follows:

• Wednesday, August 28 - The Castle Hotel, Brecon - 7pm

• Thursday, August 29 - The Pavilion Mid Wales, Llandrindod Wells - 7pm

Local representatives from all political parties have been invited, alongside Powys Teaching Health Board who have indicated they will be in attendance. 

News of the proposed changes, especially to the MIU opening times, has caused a stir across the county since it was announced in July.

The Lib Dems also last week came out to demand a halt to the plans - and launched a petition to that effect.

Last week Executive Medical Director of Powys Teaching Health Board, Kate Wright, wrote a letter clarifying the roles of MIU in Powys to “address some potential misunderstandings” that may have arisen from media coverage of the story.