Some nursing staff are long-term contract workers

Powys Health Trust says the move is part of the first phase of a long-planned community hospital review aimed at improving services across the county.

While many hospitals across Wales are having to recruit from abroad because of nurse shortages, the trust has decided not to renew the contracts of 19 staff at Brecon.

The trust has said the decision is part of a review which will see �8m spent on upgrading services at nine hospitals.

Some of those whose jobs are under threat have been employed on temporary or fixed-term contracts for as long as five years.

More cuts

Fewer jobs are needed at Brecon as a merger of male and female wards and the upgrading of services will result in eight less beds.

Local GPs, however, are worried about an erosion of services, and more job cuts could follow as the review is implemented across the county.

Although on temporary or fixed term contracts some of the 19 losing their jobs have been employed for up to five years.

Local Welsh Assembly member Kirsty Williams, has expressed her anger at the plans.

Elsewhere, overseas staff are plugging gaps

She said that during last year's community hospital review, the health trust gave assurances that any changes would not include involuntary redundancies.

Brecon Memorial Hospital has been the focus of great public discontent in recent months.

In February, 300 people with prams and pushchairs have marched through the town to protest against the downgrading of the town's maternity services.

The maternity unit at Brecon War Memorial Hospital now caters only for low-risk births, offering a midwife-only service.

The downgrading means that many women expecting more complex deliveries will be sent out of the county to Abergavenny - a 60-mile round trip - to have their babies.

Campaigners against the downgrading have gained support from thousands of local people and local politicians from all parties.

For some who experience complications while in labour, the switch to low-risk births can mean an emergency transfer to Nevill Hall in Abergavenny at an advanced stage of labour.