Branch surgery set to come to St Davids as GP closes

At the end of October, the current contract for St Davids Surgery will come to an end.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has now revealed they are planning to establish a 'branch surgery' in the city providing services for part of the week for those patients transferring to nearby Solva Surgery.

Director of Primary Care, Community and Long-Term Care, at Hywel Dda, Jill Paterson said: “The location on Nun Street is convenient for patients and is a well-established organisation which is well-supported by the local community, and we are delighted to be working with the Shalom Trustees to take forward this development.

“We are in the process of planning services to be delivered by a multi-disciplinary team and are planning community services there and some cluster-based services too.”

St David's Surgery will close at the end of October. (Image: Hywel Dda University Health Board) From November 1, the Solva GP Surgery will be known as the Peninsula Practice – a name proposed by the Peninsula Working Group which includes representatives from St Davids City Council, Solva and Llanrhian community councils. 

All employed staff at St Davids Surgery will transfer to Peninsula Practice to join the team, consisting of administration, nursing staff and a salaried GP.

Patients at St Davids Surgery will be sent a letter informing them of which practice they will be transferred along with further information.

Ms Paterson added: “The planning for the transition is well under way. Patients don’t need to do anything – we will be transferring all records and registrations.

“Meanwhile, work to adapt the surgery building in Solva to accommodate the additional staff and patients will be taking place in the coming weeks.

 “This involves internal alterations to the surgery building which will be taking place over the coming weeks to convert underused rooms into consulting and treatment rooms, and to move some office space to the first floor.”

Some patients from St Davids Surgery have expressed concern about travelling to Solva for appointments.

However, Ms Paterson has revealed she is working with the Pembrokeshire Association of Community Transport Organisations (PACTO) to solve this problem.

She continued: “We have also been working with PACTO. They have helped us develop a leaflet and they are looking for volunteer drivers to assist with this process, so that they can respond to need where buses are not available for individuals.

“We have also had a commitment from the surgery that, as far as possible, when people do need to go to the surgery, they will try to co-ordinate appointment times with bus times.”