Solva Surgery will now be run as a Managed Practice by Hywel Dda University Health Board, it was decided yesterday (Thursday, February 23).
The Practice gave notice on its contract with the Health Board, which comes into force from the end of March.
A panel met to consider options for the future and an engagement exercise was held by the Health Board to hear the views of patients, interested people and organisations.
More than 1,200 responses to a questionnaire were received with many patients expressing how much they valued having services delivered to them in their local community. Further support for the surgery was forthcoming with letters, emails and a local engagement event that took place at the end of January.
As a result of Thursday’s decision, the practice will come under Health Board management on April 1, with the eligible staff transferring over and providing important continuity in the practice.
Most registered patients will remain under the care of the practice however, patients who live outside the practice boundary, will be written to by the Health Board to notify them that their registration will be transferred to a surgery close to where they live.
The board has also confirmed that the dispensing rights that are currently held by Dr Dhaduvai will not transfer; as a result, the dispensing of medication at Solva Surgery will finish on March 31.
The Health Board will be working with the Practice and local pharmacies to make this transition as smooth as possible, and a wider review of pharmaceutical services will be undertaken.
Maria Battle, Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “We have listened to the patients of Solva Surgery and local stakeholders including neighbouring practices and I am pleased to confirm that we will continue to offer GP services at Solva through a Health Board managed practice.
“We have welcomed the work undertaken by Solva Community Council in recent weeks, and we will be working with the communities across the peninsula and neighbouring practices considering together their ideas on how services could be delivered sustainably in the longer-term.
“On behalf of the Board I would like to thank everyone who took the time to provide their feedback, which has been central in shaping our decision today.”
Jill Paterson, Director of Primary Care, Community and Long Term Care, from Hywel Dda University Health Board added: “We would like to thank all patients and local stakeholders who responded to our engagement exercise and shared their views.
“It was clear from the feedback how much patients value their local services in their communities. While having a Managed Practice will bring some challenges such as GP cover for the Health Board, we are pleased to be offering patients the nearest option there is to current services.”
The Health Board will work with the Practice team to maintain safe and effective services for patients, and thank them for their continued efforts during this time of uncertainty.
