Montgomeryshire MP Steve Witherden has called for plans to downgrade Llanidloes War Memorial Hospital to be withdrawn.

This comes after Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) announced a proposal to “downgrade” the hospital to help plug a £22m gap in next year's budget.

Changes would include reduced opening hours and limiting services to offer care packages for patients who were “ready to go home”, whilst rehabilitative care would be offered elsewhere to “help maintain quality services within the resources available”.

Mr Witherden wrote: “I believe the changes are significant and should be classified as such.

“...My constituents feel that any change proposed on a temporary basis would only consolidate and legitimise a permanent change.

“A six-month trial would fail to paint an accurate picture of what the changes would mean for the hospital year-round, with healthcare provision starkly different in summer and winter.

“PTHB argue the current Powys model for delivering community hospital in-patient services is inefficient.

“This may be true, but we cannot change our geography.

I will make no apology for robustly fighting for my constituents to access healthcare nearby.”

PTHB responded explaining that the consultation process had been vast and that a meeting would be held on 10 October to consider next steps.