February 2007
Rhayader Loses Services 3/2/07 
Whilst Rhayader does not actually have a community hospital residents greatly value the services provided at the Hafan Centre. Now Powys Local Health Board has removed local physiotherapy services, the optician and chiropody from this day centre – a move that has been greeted with concern from local people who will now struggle to travel to other town’s for the services. As usual no interim measures appear to be in place.
Further evidence of how this LHB operated was provided by local optician Giles Marshall “I have carried out practice in Rhayader now for 20 years and have only received a fortnight’s notice that the service has been removed from the Hafan Centre. I do not think that Powys Local Health Board have fully considered the financial and especially the social implications of the removal of services from Rhayader. The elderly, young and disabled people of the town will be greatly affected by the move. They will now have to pay to travel to Llandrindod Wells either by bus or community transport."
According to Powys LHB closing one service somehow magically improves another?!!!
Scepticism continues at SPH...
"Valentine's Day Cards for All" 13/2/07 
BMA-HAG have delivered around 3,000 specially designed and printed Valentine's cards to the communities around Bronllys Hospital. The cards state "Don't let Powys LHB Break Our Heart". Positive responses are already being received from grateful recipients.
Don't be without a Valentine's card this year! - download your copy now (pdf).
"We Love Our Hospitals": Valentine's Day Events at Powys Hospitals 14/2/07 
In early January hospital action groups met to develop a county wide campaign against Powys Local Health Board’s plans to end hospital inpatient care at Bronllys, Builth, Knighton and Llanidloes. A part of this strategy a “We Love Our Hospitals” event took place today - Valentine’s Day.
Rallies were well attended this morning at each of the four threatened hospitals. The final rally was at Bronllys hospital where all campaigners joined together to present petitions and cards to Powys LHB...
Full report with pictures and video
BBC news report
"Petitions - Public Voice Does Count" 14/2/07 
In the last five months three petitions against Powys LHBs current plans have been presented containing over 11,000 signatures. Llanidloes presented their petition (4,000) in September 2006. Today Builth & Llanwrtyd (4,000) and Hay & Talgarth (3,000) presented their petitions during the Powys wide "We Love Our Hospitals" day. Will Andy Williams and Chris Mann continue to ignore public opinion?
Llanidloes Ask Questions on Valentine's Day 14/2/07 
In their Valentine's card presented to Chris Mann and Andy Williams yesterday, the following questions were asked:
Why are there no detailed transitional arrangements for transfer of patient services in the existing documents and will you please explain how acute health care, accident and emergency services, and care for the elderly, will be provided in the new proposals and will there be any transitional funding?....
Read in full (pdf)
"Tory stance on Hospital Closures" 14/2/07 
The Conservatives would halt hospital reconfiguration across Wales, party leaders have pledged.
Tory health spokesman Jonathan Morgan (no relation to BACH's Chairman!) said: "we need to go back to some very basic principles and, in essence, start from scratch."
He said there should be a "proper dialogue" with doctors, health chiefs and members of the public.
Health Minister Dragging Feet on Vital Guidance 14/2/07 
Assembly guidance to Local Health Boards, expected at the beginning of the year, has still not been published.
Local Health Boards have put hospital closure plans on hold in anticipation of the new guidance on NHS Community Services, the publication of which has been repeatedly delayed.
Local AM, Kirsty Williams said: “In my constituency, people do not want hospitals to close. Just as bad, however, is this anxious wait we are all facing to find out exactly what is going to happen to our local health services. At the beginning of January, we were told to expect the guidance to be published within a fortnight. That is still what they are saying today. This situation is completely unacceptable – I cannot think of a good reason why this has taken so long.”
· On January 10th, the office of Ann Lloyd, the Chief Executive of the NHS in Wales, said that the final draft of the guidelines was being looked at, and they hoped to publish within 10 days!
· Kirsty Williams raised the issue with Rhodri Morgan during Questions to the First Minster on Tuesday – he was unable to say when the guidance would be published.
Powys GPs set the record straight with Health Minister Brian Gibbons 19/2/07 
Powys
GP representatives from the threatened hospitals met with Brian
Gibbons, the Minister for Health
and Social Services and Ann Lloyd, the Chief Executive of the NHS in Wales. The meeting took place at the Welsh Assembly and was organised by local AMs Kirsty Williams and Mick Bates.
The GPs were pleased to have had the opportunity
to raise various issues at the highest level and hoped that their concerns and were taken on board.
Briefing document (pdf)
BBC news report
Private Discussion
Board 22/2/07 
Website Forum launched.
The forum
is secure and private. It's aim is to facilitate quick, safe communication
between action groups, providing an area where campaign ideas can be discussed
and news shared.
Women's Institute Join The Fight to Save Community Hospitals 28/2/07 
The National Federation of Women's Institutes join the campaign to save Community Hospitals at their AGM at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 6 June 2007. More than 5,000 WI members are expected to attend and a resolution on the closure of community hospitals will be put forward urging 'HM Government to stop the closure of Community Hospitals, which provide essential services to local people'.
The WI has 211,000 members in the UK and plays a unique role in providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to build new skills, to take part in a wide variety of activities and to campaign on issues that matter to them and their communities.