The SOS fight to save a GP surgery in Burry Port is being scaled up to include a protest at the next meeting of Hywel Dda University Health Board.
Pembrey and Burry Port Town Council is in the vanguard of the campaign to save Harbour View Surgery.
The council’s Mayor, Councillor David Owens, said the proposed closure would have ‘devastating’ consequences for the local community.
Cllr Owens said: “A public meeting in Burry Port earlier this week demonstrated the massive groundswell of opinion against the closure of Harbour View Surgery.
“The people of Burry Port and Pembrey will not sit back and let this happen.
“The SOS campaign is all about Save Our Surgery.
“We will be mobilising our campaign troops to protest at the next meeting of the Hywel Dda Board, when the board meets in Penygroes next week.
“As a council representing the people here, we appreciate that Penygroes may not be the easiest venue to get to, so we are making it easy for SOS campaigners by organising a free bus to take people to the meeting.
“There is a petition against the closure in Harbour View surgery and it will also be available to sign online via the Pembrey and Burry Port Town Council website.
“This is an issue which is clearly a major concern to the whole community and I would urge the people of Burry Port and Pembrey to back the SOS campaign.”
The Mayor added: “In a few weeks, Harbour View Surgery in Burry Port (the third largest town in the county of Carmarthenshire) will close its doors.
“The only other health centre in Burry Port (Meddygfa Tywyn Bach ) is not likely to be able to accommodate all the patients of Harbour View Surgery, an estimated 1400-plus patients.
“The town council thinks this is unacceptable as patients could be forced to find a GP anywhere in the county.
“Clearly, this is going to be devastating for some of us. We are asking the community to join us in fighting this closure.
“The council is understandably very concerned about the prospect of the surgery closing on July 31, as there is no certainty regarding alternative GP provision.”
The meeting of the Hywel Dda University Health Board will take place on Thursday, May 25, at 9:30am in the Penygroes Memorial Hall, Waterloo Road, Penygroes, SA14 7NP.
The planned protest is scheduled to take place outside the meeting venue, with representatives of the SOS campaign, hopefully, being allowed access to the meeting itself.
Transport details for the protest –
Free bus departing from main car park (opposite Burry Port Co-op) at 8.15am on Thursday, May 25.
Anyone who wants to attend should contact the council office on 01554 834346 or email info@pembreyburryport-tc.gov.uk
Llanelli Assembly Member Lee Waters, Labour Parliamentary candidate Nia Griffith and other General Election candidates have pledged to lobby Hywel Dda Health Board with their concerns about the proposed closure of Harbour View Surgery.
The current GP at Harbour View Surgery, Dr L A Lodha, intends retiring.
A spokesman for the heath board said: “Hywel Dda University Health Board is now in the process of considering the best way to continue GP services for patients and it is expected that a clear plan will be available by the end of June 2017.”
Weblinks –
Pembrey and Burry Port Town Council –
http://pembreyburryport-tc.gov.uk
Facebook –
https://www.facebook.com/pembreyburryportcouncil
Twitter –
@pembreyburrypt
Save Our Surgery Facebook page –
https://www.facebook.com/harbourviewsurgery/
Link to Byron Williams Vimeo video of the Harbour View Surgery public meeting.
https://vimeo.com/217809848
Photos:
Harbour View Surgery
SOS campaign leaflet
Mayor Councillor David Owens.
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