Argyle Medical Group has recently submitted an application to Hywel Dda Local Health Board to close its branch surgery in Neyland. It is understood that the reason behind the application is due to difficulties in recruiting and retaining GPs in the local area.

Local Assembly Member Paul Davies said, “This news will come as a shock to the people of Neyland, many of whom have been patients at the St Clements practice for some time. It’s deeply disappointing that as a result of a lack of GPs, Argyle has decided to close the surgery. As a result of this announcement, patients from Neyland will now have to travel to Pembroke Dock for essential services and treatment and this will cause huge problems for patients without transport or with limited mobility.”

He added, “The recruitment of health professionals has long been a problem in west Wales and my colleagues I have continued to raise this issue. Unfortunately the Welsh Government has not taken this matter seriously enough in the past. The Welsh Government must now work with the health board and Argyle Medical Group to find a more sustainable solution that meets the needs of the local community in Neyland. I will of course, be raising this matter with the Welsh Government, requesting that this situation is addressed as a matter of urgency and a wider strategy is developed to deal with recruitment issues in west Wales.”