Hundreds rally in Knighton over threatened hospital cuts
Over 100 residents gathered in Knighton to protest Powys Teaching Health Board’s plan to keep Panpwnton Ward closed, sparking calls for Welsh Government action.
More than a hundred residents turned up at the town hall in Knighton, Powys, on Thursday to protest the Powys Teaching Health Board’s proposal to keep the Panpwnton Ward at Knighton Hospital permanently closed.
The public meeting, convened by the Welsh Liberal Democrats, formed part of a series of gatherings across the county, following similar events in Llanidloes, Ystradgynlais, Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells.
Board officials have outlined a “Better Together” plan that would see no inpatient beds returned to the town, effectively ending the prospect of a community hospital ward that was shut during the Covid‑19 pandemic.
“Once again we’ve seen a huge turnout from a community deeply worried about what these proposals will mean for local healthcare,” said David Chadwick, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe.
Chadwick warned that patients needing a community hospital bed could be forced to travel to Llandrindod, Newtown or even Brecon, a journey that could add hours to an urgent health need.
Local residents and staff expressed a sense of betrayal, recalling assurances that the ward would reopen once the pandemic subsided.
Attendees raised particular concerns about the impact on Knighton, Presteigne and surrounding villages, where distances to the nearest acute hospitals already stretch the limits of rural transport.
“People spoke passionately about what Knighton Hospital means to this community and about the realities of accessing healthcare across such a rural area,” said Jane Dodds, MS for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd.
Dodds added that the Plaid Cymru Government must act now, urging ministers to intervene before the consultation closes.
Councillor Corinna Kenyon‑Wade, Welsh Liberal Democrat representative for Knighton with Beguildy, also attended and echoed the crowd’s frustration at what she described as “a clear disregard for local needs”.
The board’s options include redirecting patients needing community inpatient care to the larger facilities in Llandrindod Wells, Newtown or Brecon, and under one scenario, stripping Llandrindod Wells of its own community beds.
Another urgent‑care option would see the Minor Injury Unit at Llandrindod Wells shut, further limiting emergency care options for the sparsely‑populated region.
Despite the vocal opposition, the health board has pressed ahead with a formal consultation, inviting written responses from the public before a final decision is taken.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have compiled a petition bearing 7,930 signatures opposing the cuts and plan to deliver it to the Welsh Health Minister in the coming days.
Health advocates warn that the proposed centralisation could exacerbate existing pressures on rural services, leaving vulnerable patients with longer travel times and reduced access to timely care.
As the consultation period draws to a close, community groups say they will continue to lobby both the health board and the Welsh Government, insisting that any reorganisation must safeguard essential local provision.