An Easter ‘walk-in’ service at Tenby Hospital has been hailed as a success by a local health campaigner and town councillor.

Speaking at Wednesday night’s meeting of Tenby Town Council, Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas, who is also secretary of the South East Pembrokeshire Community Health Network, told her colleagues that she had attended a meeting the previous day to discuss the temporary nurse led service for residents and visitors to the hospital who required treatment for minor ailments.

“It’s been very busy over the weekend, with over 77 clients seen, ranging from ages of one up to 86,” said Clr. Mrs. Thomas of the pilot scheme which started on Good Friday and will run until Sunday.

Before any decision is made on whether the scheme will run over the summer period, a review will take place when the pilot ends, with a detailed analysis on whether taking the team of nurse practitioners and healthcare assistants to Tenby over the Easter term, has impacted on Withybush Hospital, she explained.

Clr. Laurence Blackhall paid tribute to Clr. Mrs. Thomas and the ‘tenacious work’ that she and fellow SEPCHN health campaigners had carried out in continuing to push for services at the Tenby hospital.

“It proves that when there is need, no matter what a far off bureaucracy decides, it comes back to need, and this Easter weekend has shown the real need for health services in Tenby,” he commented.

“I hope that the new leadership at the Hywel Dda University Health Board will ensure that services continue to be provided at the facility.

“It’s taking pressure off Withybush, pressure off GPs,” continued Clr. Blackhall, who said that bad decisions that were made two years ago, are now being recognised, and need to be reversed.

Town councillors also agreed to offer a donation towards the cost of funding a bus from the area so that locals to show support for Withybush Hospital, by attending a demonstration at the Senedd, in Cardiff, on April 16.

Clr. Ben James told his colleagues that he had seen online that other town and community councils in the area had given money to the cause, and he felt it would be worthwhile to help people from Tenby, Saundersfoot and Kilgetty areas to attend the protest.

Councillors elected to donate £250 towards the cost of funding a bus to Cardiff.