Campaigners to form human chain around Welsh surgery proposed for closure

Amelia Jones

Volunteers are set to form a human chain around a surgery after it was proposed for closure.

The event, called Cwtsho’r Sarn will see campaigners protesting the closure of Meddygfa’r Sarn surgery in Pontyates to show how much it means to the community.

Last year, a recommendation was made to close the surgery after Hywel Dda University Health Board reviewed long-term options for GP services in the area.

The health board acknowledged that the surgery has faced significant staffing challenges and had limited facilities.

Last month, the board decided to engage with the local community for eight weeks between 9 February and 6 April, before making its final decision in May.

Following this announcement, a group of local volunteers set up a Senedd petition which collected close to 900 signatures in less than three weeks.

The petition, which runs online until 1 March, will be considered by the Petitions Committee of the Senedd in their meeting in early March. Alongside the petition the campaign group will submit detailed written evidence to challenge the case for closure made by the Health Board.

Campaigners say that Hywel Dda may have underestimated the strength of feeling locally. Residents are angry that the Health Board appears to have had initial discussions with third parties and made plans for closure before informing patients, who should have been the first to know.

Campaigners have now turned their attention to a solidarity event at the surgery on 24 February at 3.30.

Christine MacTavish, who has been a patient at Meddygfa’r Sarn since 1982 said: “We want to show Hywel Dda how much we value our surgery and the staff that work there.”

Residents have said they will form a human chain around the building in order to give it a big hug.

The event has been scheduled on the day of Hywel Dda’s engagement exercise in the nearby Memorial Hall.

Organisers hope that supporters will also attend the Hywel Dda drop-in session after Cwtsho’r Sarn.

One of the founding members of the group, David Priest said:  “Residents are well informed and know the history of their surgery better than officials and are ready to robustly challenge the rationale for closure and expose its flaws.”

Clare Treharne who leads the group added: “Many of the reasons cited by Hywel Dda do not stand up to scrutiny and we feel that some are deliberately misleading.

“We have highlighted these in our evidence to the committee and we very much hope that members will recommend that the Health Board reconsider its plans.”

You can view the petition here.