Shropshire Star

Health centre plans in early stages

Questions over the cost and timescale of building a new health and social care facility in Newtown still need to be answered, it has been said.

Published

£2.5 million given to the project by The Welsh Government in May, is just to fund the start of the project, holding the consultation sessions and drawing up plans.

The total costs could be at least 10 times the initial £2.5 million.

On Friday Powys Regional Partnership Board, which is made up of Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) and Powys County Council (PCC), took the first steps in a long journey by holding consultation drop-in sessions at Newtown and Llanidloes.

Powys Teaching Health Board, (PTHB) director of planning and performance, Hayley Thomas, explained: “I’m not going to come up with a final figure because we have not done the work on it yet.

“The reality is we have to find a way of delivering the service within our budget.

“We’re really at the beginning of this project.

Fantastic

“Sometimes we’re criticised for coming out too late when asking people what they think of our plans.

“So maybe in about nine months time we should be in a position where we can be a bit clearer about the scale.

“We need to think about working together, as we (and PCC) are all working towards the same end.”

Ms Thomas added that the session had seen a “fantastic turnout”.

At Newtown’s Glanhafren Market Hall, over 100 people went to the session.

PCC director of Social Services, Ali Bulman, said: “These events were amazing

“Great to see and hear from so many people at the events.

“A huge thank you to everyone who came and especially to those who worked so hard to make them happen.”

Called a  ‘Rural Regional Centre’, the health centre could include rehabilitation services, in-patient beds, enhanced diagnostics and a wide range of other services.