Residents have grouped together to form a campaign group to save services at Bronglais hospital in Aberystwyth after “worrying” proposals emerged from Hywel Dda Health Board amid a cost-cutting drive.

Last month Hywel Dda University Health Board announced plans that could see the Stroke Unit at Bronglais turned into a ‘Treat and Transfer’ Unit, with stroke patients being moved on to another hospital.

That followed a downgrading of the hospital’s children’s ward earlier this year on a temporary basis due to staffing levels and budget constraints.

Hywel Dda’s latest clinical service plan warns that people “will have to travel further” for treatment in the future, with centralisation of services “inevitable”.

A meeting earlier this year heard that Hywel Dda requires “radical savings” after posting huge deficits in the past two years and ending up in targeted intervention by the Welsh Government.

The new campaign group, Protect Bronglais Services (PBS) will be holding a public meeting on Friday, 24 January at 7pm at Waunfawr Community Hall.

A group statement said: “Our geography here in Mid Wales is the very reason why we must protect services at Bronglais Hospital.

“12 years ago when major services at the hospital were threatened, salient arguments were made about the importance of retaining important services and indeed, ramping them up.

“Nothing has changed.

“Bronglais still needs to be a hub for a seamless rural health service.

“With Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen over 75 minutes away by road and Prince Philip Hospital Llanelli, over one hour and 56 minutes away, the vital ‘Golden Hour’ argument still applies.

“Bronglais must have the capability to deal with all-comers and not be used as a ‘staging post’ where delays could occur.

“The health board must not be allowed to brush aside the dangers of conveying patients unacceptably long distances, particularly with the increasing associated morbidity.”