'They are turning us into the dark ages!' Fears town could lose medical practice from lack of funds

Bosses say if the situation doesn’t improve, they fear the surgery will close and the services they provide will be lost.

Llandrindod Wells Town Council met this week to discuss the issue, with all members voicing concern.

Councillor Jamie Jones said: “We don’t have a district general hospital and we only have token health services in this area and without our GPs we would have to travel to South or West Wales or England.

“Our banks and dentists have all gone and now this, they are turning us into the dark ages in this area. The medical practice does wonderful things for patients and if they can’t manage how are smaller places like Builth Wells and Rhayader going to manage? We are going to be in a real pickle if we are not careful and there is more house building going on in town.”

Deputy Mayor Councillor Wade Curzon said the practice had saved his life on at least one occasion but he said it is money that they need, and that is not easy to tackle at town council level. He said apart from writing to politicians he was not sure what else they can do.

Councillor Paul Smith said a GP surgery is essential in town.

He said: “What we don’t need is a private provider of GP services coming in which is already happening in West Wales.

“The loss of the GPs would be devastating for this town.”

Councillor Kim Nicholls said: “I don’t know that we will be able to do anything about this because the cuts are across the board. I just don’t think there is anything we can do to help – the money is just not there.”

Councillor Jonathan Jones agreed and said: “This could almost be too big to stop.”

Members agreed as a corporate body to sign a petition calling on the Welsh Government to give the surgery a rescue package, and they will encourage all residents to sign it too.

The town clerk will take over communications with the surgery to see how the town council can support them, and they will raise concerns on behalf of residents on the potential effects of the decline and possible loss of services with county councillors, Senedd Members, Brecon and Radnorshire MP Fay Jones and Welsh Government Health Minister Eluned Morgan.

The surgery said: “For every patient registered with the practices we receive just £111.40 each year, and in return we offer unlimited medical appointments and advice to our patients.

“Recent activity data shows that last year alone, GP surgeries in Wales received a total of 27 million phone calls, with 19 million appointments offered, 1.3 million referrals to secondary care made and a total of 56 million prescription items issued, all within a population of three million.

“The NHS has been chronically underfunded for years, and in primary care it has gone relatively unnoticed due to the dedication of GPs and practice staff to continue providing a service. The system is, however, on the brink of collapse and we can’t keep making up the shortfall for the NHS, we simply don’t have the capacity to do so.”

Residents are urged to sign the petition at petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/245944.