South East Pembrokeshire Community Health Network (SEPCHN) held their meeting last week, where the main item on the agenda was the service provision at Tenby Cottage Hospital.

Guests in attendance at the meeting which took place at New Hedges Village Hall on July 25, were Dr Iain Robertson-Steel, Kerri Griffiths representing the Pembrokeshire Local Health Board and Sam Detton of the Community Health Council.

SEPCHN chairman Mansel Thomas welcomed everyone to the meeting, and said that he was especially pleased to welcome the guests, who had all come at the last minute to replace others who could not make it.

He explained that the first part of the meeting would be about the newly opened Walk-in Centre, which he felt was a very positive step after the closure of the MIU some years ago.

Dr Robertson-Steel who besides being a consultant doctor is also the Director of Withybush hospital, spoke about the good progress being made at the Haverfordwest facility and how the Tenby project was the responsibility of a team of four.

He outlined some of the problems they had had with setting up the walk-in service in Tenby, one of which was the Hywel Dda University health Board’s over spend last year of £51 million.

Another issue was the 6,000 vacancies in the Welsh NHS service leading to the employment of expensive agency staff, and many nurses and doctors approaching retirement age.

Mrs. Griffiths explained that the recruitment problems regarding the Tenby centre had led to emergency nurse practitioners running the service from Monday to Friday when they had hoped to be able to employ some advanced nurse practitioners.

The nurses working at the walk-in centre were happy and efficient it was said, and there was an average waiting time of one hour.

In the first ten days of it coming into operation this summer, 203 people were treated, with most treated and then discharged, with 20 having to be referred to Withybush Hospital and a few directed to the local GP.

Feedback has been positive and the team are pleased with the response.

Dr Robertson-Steel explained that the cost so far had been £25K.

The X-ray service is planned to be for five-days-a-week which will help the GP service. The challenges at Withybush mean that it is not possible to provide this service all week.

He went on to say that the first review of the service would be at the end of September, with Mrs. Griffiths explaining that as the service will be a one year project the evaluation will be ongoing.

Dr Robertson-Steel told the meeting that he was in support of the walk-in service as it could be of help to the GPs and he recognised that changes were needed for care provision with the staff shortages across Wales.

Mr. Detton of the Community Health Council told the meeting that he was pleased to see the walk-in service open.

His big question was about whether the communication about the service was clear enough, for example people with ulcers going to the centre.

Mr. Thomas then moved the meeting on to discuss services already being provided at Tenby Cottage Hospital. He felt that although there was a wide range of clinics spread out over the week, some seemed to be closing, and some were irregular.

Mrs. Griffiths said that there was no plan to run services down, and in fact the Local Health Board wanted to add more, but some times it was a matter of resources. The ophthalmology should be returning to the hospital after September.

This led to Mr. Thomas again raising the importance of publicity. He then asked the members gathered to pick up a form to nominate Saundersfoot Surgery for a good practice award.

Mr. Thomas explained that he had been chair of the SEPCHN for the last 15 years, and had enjoyed his time, thanking everyone for their help, but added that now he wanted someone else to take on the roll.