
Powys hospital first in Wales to receive Green Flag Award
Bronllys Hospital received the award from Keep Wales Tidy during a ceremony attended by staff, the director of allied health professions at Powys Teaching Health Board, and the CEO of Keep Wales Tidy.
The Green Flag Award, now in its third decade, recognises well-managed parks and green spaces across 20 countries.
Claire Madsen, director of allied health professions at Powys Teaching Health Board, said: "Bronllys Hospital has a long history of using its green spaces to benefit patients and staff.
"From our woodland walk to our new partnership with Flora Cultura to enable patients to get involved with gardening, as well as our veterans garden, we try to ensure that as much of the hospital site is available for staff and patients.
"I am very proud to receive Keep Wales Tidy's Green Flag Award and we hope to continue a partnership for the future."
Owen Derbyshire, chief executive of Keep Wales Tidy, said: "Congratulations to everyone at Bronllys Hospital on achieving a Green Flag Award – a fantastic recognition of your commitment to creating and maintaining high-quality green space.
"Bronllys is currently the only hospital site in Wales to hold a full Green Flag Award, and that's something truly worth celebrating.
" It's a powerful example of how healthcare settings can provide not just medical care but also access to nature and green space that supports the wellbeing of patients, staff and the wider community."
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Powys County Times
a day ago
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Powys County Times
4 days ago
- Powys County Times
Powys health board may be charged for waiting time policy
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BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
NHS England told to keep patients in Powys waiting for operations
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Previously there was no difference in how patients were treated but, since 1 July, the health board has asked that any planned treatment for its patients at hospitals in Hereford, Shrewsbury, Telford and Oswestry are based on average NHS Wales waiting 40% of Powys Teaching Health Board's (PTHB) budget is spent on services outside its own borders - it does not have its own district general hospital. Latest figures show there were 10,254 waits of two years or more for planned treatments in Wales, compared to just 158 in Welsh government said it remained "committed to reducing waiting times and ensuring everyone in Wales - including those in Powys - has equitable and timely access to treatment".With shorter waiting times in England, the Powys health board could not afford to pay the bills due to the speed the operations and other planned care like cataract surgery and diagnostic tests were being carried to its annual plan, applying NHS Wales waiting times would save £16.4m - the Welsh government has said it must save at least £26m and has intervened in the health board's finances, strategy and planning to address serious means people from Powys face two-year waits for some procedures, but it does exclude various high-risk patients including children and those with cancer. Ms Wallace used to enjoy walking her dogs, gardening, going to the gym and riding her motorbike but now struggles to get out of the car or put her socks moved to her home near Llandrindod Wells from Herefordshire in 2021 for the scenery and lifestyle, but her experience with the Welsh NHS has made her "wish I hadn't moved here".Despite her wait for an operation starting before the rule change, Ms Wallace said "they can't even be bothered to send a letter to let people know that this is going to affect them".She wants the policy overturned but, in the meantime, said waiting times given to those already on the list should be honoured. Stephen Evans, 66, a local government officer from Builth Wells, was scheduled for a double knee replacement and told in May that his first operation would be "within the next few weeks" in he called the hospital to follow up, he was told his wait would be at least another year and said he had not had any contact from the health board or Welsh NHS."When your life is put on hold because of a decision like this, you deserve the truth, not some excuse," he said."I choose to live here, but I'm still entitled to the same sort of medical treatments as a person who lives across the border in England."John Silk, 92, from Talgarth, was a regular golfer and went to the gym until his osteoarthritis got too bad."I have a stick to walk down the path from the front door now and driving in the car is a nightmare," he was due to have an operation in Hereford in June and had been to the hospital twice in he phoned to ask why his knee replacement had been delayed, he was told by an "apologetic" secretary that he would have to wait another year due to budget others, he has not heard anything from NHS Wales. "I want them confronted with what they're doing."They're causing unnecessary pain and suffering. I don't think that's the idea of politics, do you?"Health board chief executive Ms Thomas said: "We understand that the changes we have made to the way we commission planned care services will be frustrating and disappointing for patients and their families."It is vital that we live within our means. We cannot continue to spend money we do not have to offer faster access care to some parts of the county."Instead, we need to take a fairer approach that protects essential services for everyone." 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