Campaign Group Makes a Formal Complaint To Hywel Dda Health Board About The Proposed Closure of Meddygfa’r Sarn

As the 8 week public engagement period draws to a close, the Save our Surgery working group in Pontyates have written to the chief executive, Philip Kloer, outlining numerous concerns about the integrity of the decision making process and noting weaknesses in the hastily arranged engagement exercise.

The letter of complaint has been shared with the Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, the patient advocacy body Llais and national and local elected representatives who have given public support to their campaign. Clare Treharne, who is leading the working group, said, ‘Since it was belatedly announced, we have encouraged the community to actively engage in the consultation exercise, but grave concerns remain about the way the Health Board has conducted this process and we felt it was our duty to record those formally.’

As part of the 8 week engagement period, two drop-in sessions organised by the Health Board have so far taken place. The first, at Pontyates Welfare Hall, was very well attended and at times concerned residents queued up outside for a chance to express their views. A week later, the second event at Pontyberem Memorial Hall saw a steady stream of people, including many patients registered with Coalbrook surgery which would see its patient list grow by 60% under the proposed patient dispersal plan. Concerns raised included lack of capacity and suitable infrastructure at nearby surgeries, current long waiting times for appointments and inadequate public transport links for patients without cars. Jane Nicholas, of Meinciau, who attended both sessions was grateful for the opportunity to put forward her concerns, but remained unconvinced by the reasons for closure put forward by Health Board officials, ‘They pointed to the lack of salaried GPs at Meddygfa’r Sarn, but when challenged, they admitted that only one permanent doctor is employed at Minafon surgery in Kidwelly for twice the number of patients.’ Jane went on, ‘they were also unable to reassure us about capacity at Coalbrook, saying only that one new GP would be starting soon and another later in the year. That will not be sufficient to serve 3,000 extra patients transferring all at once.’

Other residents took issue with comments on the building and facilities at Meddygfa’r Sarn in the Health Board’s report which they felt had unfairly painted the surgery in a bad light.  Angharad Rees, 45, who works in Pontyates, questioned the veracity of the concerns over possible flooding, saying that ‘the surgery was purposely built on a raised platform to mitigate any risk’. She also noted that the landlords had not been made aware of defects which were mentioned in the report and therefore necessary remedial work had not been carried out. ‘The report also stated that the lease is up soon,’ she added, ‘but the current owners are happy for it to be renewed on the same terms as before, so that is also a non-issue in my opinion.’

Due to the level of concern shown by local residents an extra drop in session will take place in Carway Village Hall on 31 March, between 1-6.30 pm. Campaigners and local councillors are urging residents from all the affected surgeries to make their voices heard at this final event and to fill in the patient survey which will close on 6^th April https://www.haveyoursay.hduhb.wales.nhs.uk/meddygfa-r-sarn/surveys/questionnaire11 . Campaigners expressed disappointment that Hywel Dda’s marketing of the drop in sessions had been online only, adding that local communities had taken it upon themselves to produce and distribute flyers and posters to ensure that all residents were aware of the various opportunities to have their say.