The future of Solva Surgery was raised in the Senedd Chamber this week by local Senedd Member Paul Davies.

Mr Davies called on the Welsh Government to work with Hywel Dda University Health Board and the local community to ensure that residents can continue to access primary care services in the local area.

This follows the surgery's GP partner announcing their retirement.

Mr Davies said: “I know that there are concerns about the future delivery of services in the area, and so I asked the Health Minister what support is being provided to ensure that patients are able to access GP services in their local area.

“The Health Minister acknowledged that there are challenges recruiting GPs to Pembrokeshire and that work is ongoing to put something in place by the end of March.”

“It’s vital that the Welsh Government does everything it can to recruit GPs to Pembrokeshire and I will continue raise the issue of access to primary services with the Health Minister at every opportunity.”

In response to questions from Paul Davies, Health Minister Eluned Morgan MS said she had had met with the chair and chief executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board.

She added: “There is a real challenge when it comes to single-handed practices. We do have to, perhaps, think creatively about how we go about filling these roles that are quite difficult.

“I know that we had a real challenge in the past in attracting someone, for example, to Goodwick, where we actually put a £20,000 additional golden handshake on the table and still nobody came.

“These are not easy to resolve. You can't force people to go to these places. But obviously, our approach is to try and make sure that these people don't work alone and that they have a team around them.

“But even then, what we find works best is when you have a community of GPs working together. That's obviously difficult in places like Solva, so we just have to try and be creative and work with the community.

“But I know that the health board is going to make every effort to see what they can put in place by the termination date of March 31.”

 

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