Controversial cuts to the opening hours of two Minor Injury Units (MIUs) in Powys will come into place next week.

From Monday, November 18, MIUs at Breconshire War Memorial Hospital and Llandrindod Wells Memorial Hospital will be open from 8am from 8pm.

Previously, Brecon MIU was open 24 hours a day and the Llandrindod unit was open from 7am to midnight.

The decision was finalised by Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) at meeting on October 10, following a period of public engagement.

The proposals have caused uproar throughout the county, with hundreds of concerned residents attending public meetings over the summer to voice their concerns.

A raft of local politicians have also spoken out against the plans.

The health board says its aim is to respond to challenges facing the NHS and local patients, to improve quality and value, and to stabilise the delivery of key services.

Kate Wright, Executive Medical Director of Powys Teaching Health Board said: "These temporary changes will allow our Minor Injury Units to provide a more reliable service.

“During the engagement period we heard a lot of misunderstanding of the role of Minor Injury Units. We cannot stress strongly enough that these units are for the treatment of minor injuries only. They are not for life or limb-threatening injuries or for major illnesses. 

“In an emergency people should call 999 or go to A&E. Visiting an MIU with an urgent medical condition can delay access to life-saving care.” 

The health board said the changes will be introduced for a six-month temporary period.

The B&R this week asked the health board what the review date will be, and what criteria will be used to assess the impact of these changes over time.

The health board told us they had agreed a monitoring and evaluation framework which sets out the range of key measures that will be used to review and evaluate the temporary changes. These cover factors such as “patient experience, patient safety, workforce utilisation, reduction in unplanned changes to opening hours, and staff experience”.

PTHB added that regular updates will be shared in public at meetings.

The health board’s announcement has coincided with the publishing of a paper by Bronllys Well Being Park CLT Ltd (BWBP).

The document, which has been shared with key politicians and government officials, aims to influence policy decisions and raise public awareness about the acute challenges rural communities face in accessing healthcare.

PTHB’s decision to reduce the operating hours MIUs and centralise inpatient services is based on a projected £23 million deficit. But BWBP challenges these cuts and proposes alternative cost-saving measures that prioritise people’s health without sacrificing service quality.