#pontyatesdoctorssurgery — Public Fediverse posts

PONTYATES: ‘Spread the word’ — campaigners urge GP teams to bid for Meddygfa’r Sarn as tender opens

The fight to secure Meddygfa’r Sarn’s long-term future enters its decisive phase next week — with the contract to run the Pontyates surgery formally going out to tender.

Experienced GP partnerships, primary care providers and healthcare organisations are being encouraged to bid for the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract to operate the practice.

The tender will be published in the week commencing 6 July and closes in the week commencing 14 August — with the contract notice already viewable on the UK Government’s Find a Tender service.

It follows the community’s successful campaign to stop Hywel Dda University Health Board closing the surgery. That fight ended in May with the board committing to a long-term primary care presence in the village.

Members of the Save Meddygfa’r Sarn Community Working Group met the health board’s procurement team on Monday 29 June — and are now working to make sure no potential bidder misses the opportunity.

“Our community has fought hard to save its surgery,” the group said in a statement. “Now we need the strongest possible field of bidders to come forward. The more interest there is in this opportunity, the greater the chance of securing a suitable provider.”

The group said it was concerned that awareness of the opportunity may be limited — and wanted to ensure that no suitable provider misses the chance to bid.

“We know there are excellent GP partnerships and providers across Wales and beyond,” the statement continued. “If that could be you, or someone you know, we encourage you to explore and share this exciting opportunity to develop and lead a well-supported rural practice.

“Please spread the word. Together, we can help secure the long-term future of Meddygfa’r Sarn for our patients, our community and generations to come.”

The surgery, which serves around 4,350 patients, has been run directly by the health board as a managed practice since 2017, when its GP partners resigned.

Its proposed closure sparked a four-month fight over the future of healthcare in the village. Hundreds of residents formed a human chain around the building in February’s Cwtsho’r Sarn protest, a petition topped 1,000 signatures, and candidates from across the political spectrum joined the campaign.

The health board changed course in the spring, first agreeing to explore independent GPs for the practice — with campaigners saying closure “should never have been on the table” — before confirming weeks later that the surgery would stay open.

Anyone considering a bid must register on all three procurement portals before receiving the full tender documentation, which contains everything required to prepare a bid. As well as Find a Tender, registration is required on Sell2Wales, the Welsh Government’s procurement site. The third portal is eTenderWales.

More detailed information from the procurement meeting has been shared on the Save Sarn Surgery Community Working Group’s Facebook page, and the group is welcoming contact from interested parties who want clarification about the bidding process — or about the community the practice serves.

For a village that wrapped its arms around its surgery in the February cold, the next six weeks will help decide whether that fight delivered — not just a reprieve, but a future.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

‘Our community has been heard’ — campaigners celebrate as Meddygfa’r Sarn is saved from closure
The moment the health board committed to the surgery’s future.

Campaigners back search for new GP team to secure future of Meddygfa’r Sarn
How the working group threw its weight behind the hunt for a provider.

The four-month fight to save Meddygfa’r Sarn
The full story of the campaign, from January’s bombshell to the board vote.

#GPRecruitment #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

PONTYATES: Campaigners back search for new GP team to secure future of Meddygfa’r Sarn

Campaigners who fought to save a Pontyates GP surgery have backed the search for a new team to run it long term.

The Save Sarn Surgery Community Working Group says it welcomes Hywel Dda University Health Board’s decision to seek expressions of interest from potential providers for Meddygfa’r Sarn.

The group is now encouraging healthcare professionals to consider taking on the practice.

The health board has said it will explore whether a new or existing GP provider could take on the practice through a General Medical Services contract.

The surgery will continue to operate as a managed practice in the meantime, with registered patients told to access services as they do now.

Any formal arrangement would follow an open procurement process under national Provider Selection Regime rules, should the board decide it is a viable way forward.

The Save Sarn Surgery group says the aim is for an independent contractor to take over the practice from April 2027.

The move follows a major U-turn last month, when the board set aside its plan to close the surgery and agreed instead to explore independent GP provision for its 4,350 patients.

That decision came after a four-month community campaign against the original proposal to disperse patients to neighbouring practices.

Clare Treharne, speaking for the working group, said the community had shown how much the surgery mattered to local people.

“We welcome the health board’s decision to seek expressions of interest and we want to support that process in any way we can,” she said.

She said there was a real opportunity not only to secure the surgery’s future, but to build a model of community-focused care reflecting wider ambitions across Wales to deliver healthcare closer to home.

The group said recent board discussions had recognised that the future of healthcare in Pontyates was about more than securing a GP contract.

Board members had spoken about the importance of accessibility, community engagement and shaping services in partnership with local people, the group added.

The working group believes the surgery could become an example of how providers, communities and public bodies can work together on sustainable primary care.

It is also calling for closer collaboration between organisations involved in healthcare, planning, transport, housing and community development, to ensure future decisions reflect the long-term needs of the area.

The group acknowledged that many residents remain concerned about the surgery’s future should a new provider not be found.

For that reason, it said, every effort should be made to highlight the strengths and opportunities of the practice.

Healthcare professionals or organisations interested in the opportunity are advised to follow the information issued by the health board through the formal procurement process.

The working group said it would also be happy to share information about the community and local support for the practice, and can be contacted through its Save Sarn Surgery Facebook page.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

PONTYATES: “Our community has been heard” — campaigners celebrate as Meddygfa’r Sarn is saved from closure
The campaigners hailed a “major victory” after the board set aside its closure plan.

PONTYATES: Health board agrees to explore independent GPs for Meddygfa’r Sarn in major U-turn
A significant change of direction handed the surgery a potential future.

PONTYATES: The four-month fight to save Meddygfa’r Sarn
How a rural community fought a closure plan affecting 4,350 patients.

Hundreds protest to save Pontyates GP surgery as council demands action
Residents formed a human chain around the building in protest.

#GPRecruitment #GPSurgeryClosure #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

PONTYATES: The four-month fight to save Meddygfa’r Sarn — and the questions Hywel Dda still hasn’t answered as the board prepares to vote

When members of Hywel Dda University Health Board gather at Yr Egin in Carmarthen at 9.30am on Thursday 28 May, they will not be asked to do what they were asked to do in January.

The Vacant Practice Panel’s original recommendation — that all 4,350 patients of Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates be dispersed across neighbouring practices and the surgery closed — still exists. It has not been withdrawn. But thanks to four months of sustained campaign pressure and a string of damaging disclosures about the evidence base, the board will instead be asked to begin a procurement process to test whether an independent contractor will take on the GP contract.

It is a significant shift. But it is not a reprieve. If procurement fails to find a viable bidder, the original closure recommendation is still in the room.

Front view of Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates, the GP surgery at the centre of proposals to disperse its patient list. Image: Google Maps.

The story that almost happened in silence

When Swansea Bay News first reported on 22 January that the future of Meddygfa’r Sarn was in doubt, the proposal to close the surgery had attracted no significant public attention. Most of the surgery’s patients had no idea their GP service was about to be dispersed.

Jane Nicholas, speaking on behalf of the Save Meddygfa’r Sarn Working Group, reflected this week that the closure could have gone ahead largely unnoticed had it not been for that initial report.

What followed has been one of the most sustained and detailed community campaigns this part of west Wales has seen in years. Patients launched petitions. Councillors demanded action. The board agreed an eight-week consultation. Lee Waters, then Llanelli MS, raised the alarm over fears the surgery was being wound down. The campaign petition to the Senedd passed 1,000 signatures in under three weeks — and patients formed a human chain around the surgery building in a ‘Cwtsho’r Sarn’ solidarity event, drawing hundreds of protestors.

Over 100 supporters gathered outside Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates to show their opposition to the proposed closure of the GP surgery on 24th February. Image: Papur y Cwm

What the board was told — and what the evidence showed

Through it all, the working group was doing something else: it was lodging Freedom of Information requests. And what those requests uncovered became the most uncomfortable part of the entire process for Hywel Dda.

The group’s 12-point analysis, published in May, set out a consistent pattern: a board that had been given a selective and incomplete picture before being asked to approve closure. The issue, the analysis concluded, was not that the information presented was false — it was that key context had been omitted, alternatives had not been explored, and risks had not been fully assessed.

On the building. The board was told the premises were not fit for purpose, citing flood risk and space limitations. The FOI documents showed 82% of the building had been rated satisfactory or better, with a projected lifespan of around 40 years and backlog maintenance costs of approximately £94,000 over ten years. No alternative premises had been explored. No relocation feasibility assessment had been carried out. No comparison had been made between upgrade and closure costs.

On the workforce. The board was told the practice was entirely locum-dependent with no Clinical Lead and no salaried GPs. The FOI documents showed that the same locums had been working at Meddygfa’r Sarn for years, providing what the health board’s own records described as continuity of care. The surgery has been without a salaried GP since February 2025 — but no targeted recruitment campaign had been run for the surgery specifically in nine years. The case was framed around symptoms, not the absence of effort to address them.

On the finances. The board was told closure would cost an estimated £131,000 plus IT and support payments. What it was not told was the cost of any alternative — because none had been calculated. No comparison with other practices. No cost-per-patient benchmarking. No financial modelling of a merger, a refurbishment, or sustained recruitment.

On performance. The board heard about governance concerns and prescribing risks. It did not hear that patient satisfaction stood at 8.02 out of 10, that 74% of patients were satisfied with access, that staff appraisal compliance was 100% and core training compliance 95.3%.

On patient impact. The board was not given a travel time analysis. No equality impact assessment. No rural deprivation analysis. No safeguarding plan for vulnerable patients. The full Equality Impact Assessment was only completed in April 2026, three months after the original recommendation — and only after patients at the Pontyberem drop-in event in March explicitly demanded one.

On clinical risk. The Clinical Assurance Framework inspection — the formal governance review — had not been completed at the time the closure recommendation was made.

On strategy. While the board was being asked to close Meddygfa’r Sarn, Hywel Dda’s own new strategy, “A Healthier Mid and West Wales”, was telling patients it would deliver “more care closer to where you live by providing services in the community first” and that where services changed location, the board would “make sure they remain safe, sustainable and based on clinical standards.”

On alternatives. Hybrid models — retaining Meddygfa’r Sarn with a shared workforce. Targeted investment. Phased improvement. Enhanced recruitment. Community-based redesign. None of these had been meaningfully explored in the case presented to the board in January.

Hywel Dda’s own April 2026 Equality Impact Assessment — produced after the FOI material had become public — scored the impact of dispersal on older people, disabled patients and those facing socio-economic deprivation at -9 out of a possible -25. That is a moderate negative impact, rated as likely to occur.

Residents packed into a public meeting to discuss the future of Meddygfa’r Sarn GP surgery. (Credit: Papur y Cwm)

The six questions Hywel Dda has not answered

On 12 May, Swansea Bay News put six detailed questions to the health board based on the FOI analysis. The questions asked whether the correct process had been followed, whether equality assessments and travel time modelling had been completed before January’s meeting, and whether the board had a full and balanced picture of the evidence before it.

The health board asked for an extension until its board paper was published on 21 May. The response, when it arrived this afternoon, pointed us to the published board paper and to a corporate press release in which Chief Operating Officer Andrew Carruthers thanked everyone who had shared their views during the engagement period.

None of our six questions were answered directly.

957 voices

The engagement period that followed the board’s January decision was extensive. By the time it closed on 6 April, 957 patients had completed the questionnaire — supplemented by six emails, four telephone calls and three letters. More than 350 people attended three public drop-in events held in Pontyates, Pontyberem and Carway.

The feedback was overwhelmingly negative. Transport was the dominant concern at every event. Of those who responded to the questionnaire, 21% currently walk to Meddygfa’r Sarn. Around one in three respondents identified as disabled. A return taxi from Pontyates to Pontyberem was quoted at around £15. Some patients described bus journeys that would require travelling first into Carmarthen and then back out — a process that could mean waits of up to 90 minutes at the bus stop.

The Pontyates event, on 24 February, attracted 215 people. Carway, added only after councillors pushed for a third event, drew 89.

The health board has costed a community transport service through Dolen Teifi at between £19,000 and £85,000 a year, depending on hours and vehicle type. What it has not costed, despite repeated campaign requests, is the alternative — investment in the existing surgery and a sustained recruitment campaign for a salaried GP.

Independent Senedd Candidate, Carl Peters-Bond with Meddygfa’r Sarn campaign organiser Clare Treharne

The campaigners’ view

Clare Treharne, who leads the working group, said this week that the FOI evidence raised serious concerns about whether the original closure recommendation was fair, balanced, or fully informed. The case for closing the surgery, she said, was built on selective information with key evidence missing or incomplete.

The working group has submitted a 52-page report and a separate sustainability document to the health board ahead of Thursday’s meeting. A clinical team — understood to comprise a GP and a pharmacist — has separately submitted a bid to take over the running of the surgery.

The group’s other prominent spokesperson, retired nurse Janet Knott, served the NHS for 52 years, much of it in the Gwendraeth valley. She has warned that the dispersal plan would place enormous strain on receiving practices that are already overstretched.

Staff from Meddygfa’r Sarn surgery in Pontyates show their support for the campaign to keep the practice open. Image: Papur y Cwm

The political dimension

The story has crossed every party line. Independent Senedd candidate Carl Peters-Bond joined the campaign in April. In May, the independent candidate and surgery patient called on Hywel Dda to scrap the closure plan following the FOI revelations. The Green Party candidate called for an independent review of the process, citing the missing equality assessment.

Local councillors have issued a joint statement calling for any decision to be postponed, saying that, as local representatives, they have no confidence in the process Hywel Dda has conducted. They have called on the board to put patients before savings.

Campaigners have also written to the six newly elected Senedd Members for the Caerfyrddin constituency, requesting a meeting to put last-minute pressure on the board. First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth, interviewed on the BBC the day after being sworn in, pledged that his government would prioritise primary care and redress the funding imbalance that has grown in recent years.

Plaid Cymru Senedd Members Adam Price and Cefin Campbell join campaigners from the Save Our Surgery group in Pontyates (Credit: Papur y Cwm)

What the board will be asked to do on Thursday

If members agree to the procurement route, a new Vacant Practice Panel will eventually be convened to consider the outcome of that process and make a fresh recommendation. The board paper proposes skipping reconvening a Vacant Practice Panel before procurement begins, in the interests of expediency.

Hywel Dda’s recommendation is that board members:

— note the feedback from the public engagement period
— note the informal expressions of interest received during the engagement period
— agree that a procurement process should be undertaken to test the feasibility of an independent contractor taking on a GMS or APMS contract for Meddygfa’r Sarn

What the recommendation does not propose is the option many in the community have been asking for from the beginning: a proper, targeted, sustained recruitment campaign for a salaried GP at Meddygfa’r Sarn, supported by investment in the existing building.

The Public Board meeting takes place at Yr Egin, Carmarthen, from 9.30am on Thursday 28 May. It will be broadcast live on Hywel Dda’s YouTube channel. Campaigners are urging supporters to attend in person. Further information is available from the Save Meddygfa’r Sarn Working Group at [email protected].

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

FOI reveals no specific recruitment attempts for Sarn surgery GP in 9 years as decision day looms
The Freedom of Information disclosures that reshaped the campaign — and the questions they raised.

Pontyates residents form human chain around surgery in ‘Cwtsho’r Sarn’ solidarity event
Hundreds turned out to wrap the building in a show of community support.

MS raises alarm over Pontyates GP closure as fears grow surgery is being ‘wound down’
Lee Waters MS wrote to Hywel Dda demanding answers in February.

Future of Pontyates GP surgery in doubt as health board considers dispersing all 4,300 patients
Our original report from 22 January 2026, when the closure threat first emerged.

#featured #GPSurgeryClosure #homepage #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

PONTYATES: Green Party candidate calls for independent review of Meddygfa’r Sarn closure process — citing missing equality assessment and lack of pre-consultation engagement

A Green Party candidate has called on Hywel Dda University Health Board to pause its decision on the future of Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates – warning that a full Equality Impact Assessment has not yet been completed, and that no community engagement was undertaken before a preferred option was identified.

Michael Willis, Green Party candidate for Carmarthenshire in Thursday’s Senedd election, made the call following the Freedom of Information disclosure obtained by the Save Meddygfa’r Sarn Working Group and reported by Swansea Bay News, which he says raises serious questions about whether every reasonable option has been exhausted before recommending the closure of the surgery.

The FOI disclosure states that no community engagement was undertaken before managed dispersal was identified as the preferred option. It also confirms that an Equality Impact Assessment – intended to examine the impact on older residents, disabled patients, Welsh-speaking patients and those without access to private transport – will not be completed until the 28 May board meeting itself, rather than having informed the recommendation at an earlier stage.

Willis is calling for a full independent review of GP recruitment efforts at the surgery since Hywel Dda took over its management in 2017, alongside publication of all options considered – including incentives, shared roles, training practice status, alternative premises and branch-service models. He is also calling for a capacity assessment of receiving practices before any patient transfer is approved.

“The people of Pontyates deserve more than a closure proposal dressed up as inevitability,” he said. “If the Health Board is relying on recruitment failure as a central reason for dispersing patients, then residents are entitled to see clear evidence of a sustained, targeted and imaginative recruitment effort for this surgery.”

The FOI disclosure revealed that the health board made no targeted attempts to recruit a salaried GP to the practice in nine years – despite citing a lack of recruitment interest as a key reason for recommending closure. The only recruitment activity recorded was a small number of circular letters sent to locums already working across managed practices in Carmarthenshire.

The campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn has been running since January, when Hywel Dda first proposed dispersing all 4,300 patients to other surgeries. Campaigners lodged a formal complaint over the consultation process, submitted a 52-page report and sustainability document to the board, and held a human chain around the surgery. Independent candidate and surgery patient Carl Peters-Bond has also called on the board to scrap the closure proposal, describing the board’s recruitment claims as “duplicitous.”

Willis said the issue went beyond a single surgery. “A GP surgery is not simply a building. It is continuity of care, local trust, access for older people, support for families, and a key part of community infrastructure. Once lost, services like this are rarely restored,” he said.

Hywel Dda University Health Board’s position, as set out in its January report, is that the practice is “entirely locum-dependent” and that there has been “little interest in recruitment to salaried roles” – the characterisation that campaigners and candidates dispute.

The health board began an eight-week engagement period on 9 February, running until 6 April, ahead of a board decision expected at Yr Egin in Carmarthen on 28 May. Under the proposal, patients would be transferred to nearby practices including Coalbrook Surgery in Pontyberem, Meddygfa Minafon in Kidwelly, and some practices in Llanelli.

Willis said managed dispersal should be treated as a last resort rather than a default. “Hywel Dda should pause the process, publish the full evidence base, and work with residents on a credible rescue plan before any irreversible decision is taken,” he said.

The final decision on the future of Meddygfa’r Sarn will be made at the Hywel Dda University Health Board meeting on Wednesday 28 May at Yr Egin in Carmarthen.

Our Meddygfa’r Sarn coverage

FOI reveals no specific recruitment attempts for Sarn surgery GP in 9 years
Our original report on the recruitment revelation.

Independent candidate and surgery patient calls on Hywel Dda to scrap closure
Carl Peters-Bond’s reaction to the FOI revelation.

Residents submit 52-page report as confidence in health board process collapses
How the Save Meddygfa’r Sarn Working Group has fought the closure proposal.

#Carmarthenshire #GreenParty #HywelDdaNHS #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #PontIets #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery #SeneddElection2026

PONTYATES: Independent candidate and surgery patient calls on Hywel Dda to scrap Meddygfa’r Sarn closure after FOI recruitment revelation

An independent Senedd candidate who is himself a patient at Meddygfa’r Sarn has called on Hywel Dda University Health Board to scrap its recommendation to close the Pontyates surgery – after Freedom of Information documents revealed the board made no targeted attempts to recruit a salaried GP to the practice in nine years.

Carl Peters-Bond, Mayor of Kidwelly and independent candidate for Sir Gaerfyrddin, said the FOI revelation directly contradicted the impression given in the health board’s own January report, which cited a lack of recruitment interest as a key reason for recommending closure.

“This is duplicitous, beyond fairness, and misleading behaviour from Hywel Dda,” he said. “They cited a lack of recruitment interest as justification for closing this surgery – but they never actually tried to recruit anyone. Sending a circular letter to locums already on the books is not a recruitment campaign. Those responsible for presenting this to the board in the way they did need to be held to account.”

The FOI documents, obtained by the Save Meddygfa’r Sarn Working Group and reported by Swansea Bay News last week, show that since Hywel Dda took over management of the practice in 2017, the only recruitment activity undertaken was a small number of circular letters sent to locums already working across managed practices – asking whether any wished to take up salaried roles. No targeted recruitment campaign was ever run specifically for Meddygfa’r Sarn.

Peters-Bond also raised concerns about the consultation process itself, which he said had failed to ask the right question. “The health board’s consultation only asked people about the impact of the closure – not whether the closure should happen at all,” he said. “That is not a fair or genuine consultation. In light of what these FOI documents have revealed, I am calling on health board bosses to scrap the closure proposal entirely and go back to the drawing board.”

The campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn has been running since January 2026, when the health board first proposed dispersing all 4,300 patients to other surgeries. Hundreds of residents protested and the council demanded action in February as fears grew the outcome had been predetermined by the health board. Campaigners held a human chain around the surgery in February and lodged a formal complaint over the consultation process in March.

The working group subsequently submitted a 52-page report and sustainability document to the board alongside a new clinical proposal for the surgery’s future. A temporary lifeline was granted when the board delayed its final decision in January – but that decision is now due on 28 May.

Hywel Dda University Health Board’s January report stated that the practice was “entirely locum-dependent” and that there had been “little interest in recruitment to salaried roles” – the characterisation that Peters-Bond disputes.

The final decision on the future of Meddygfa’r Sarn will be made at the Hywel Dda University Health Board meeting on Wednesday 28 May at Yr Egin in Carmarthen.

Our Meddygfa’r Sarn coverage

PONTYATES: FOI reveals no specific recruitment attempts for Sarn surgery GP in 9 years
Our original report on the FOI revelation that prompted this reaction.

Senedd candidate joins campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn as pressure on health board mounts
Our previous coverage of Carl Peters-Bond’s involvement in the campaign.

Future of Pontyates GP surgery in doubt as health board considers dispersing all 4,300 patients
Our original report when the closure threat first emerged.

#CarlPetersBond #HywelDdaNHS #MeddygfaRSarn #PontIets #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery #SeneddElection2026

PONTYATES: FOI reveals no specific recruitment attempts for Sarn surgery GP in 9 years as decision day looms

The campaign to save a rural GP surgery in Carmarthenshire has uncovered what campaigners say is a damning revelation – that the health board managing Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates made no specific attempts to recruit a salaried GP to the practice for nine years, despite citing a lack of interest as a key reason for its closure recommendation.

Freedom of Information documents obtained by the Save Meddygfa’r Sarn Working Group reveal that since Hywel Dda University Health Board took over management of the practice in 2017, the only recruitment efforts made were circular letters sent to locums already working across managed practices in 2021, 2023 and 2024 – asking whether any wished to take up salaried roles. The surgery has been without a salaried GP since February 2025, and apart from one GP recruited in 2021 who left the same year, no targeted recruitment campaign has ever been run for Meddygfa’r Sarn specifically.

Campaigners say this directly contradicts an impression given in the health board’s own January report on the surgery, which stated: “The Practice is entirely locum-dependent currently and there has been little interest in recruitment to salaried roles.” The FOI documents suggest that limited interest may have been a consequence of limited effort.

Jane Nicholas, speaking on behalf of the working group, said the health board’s approach showed a lack of vision. “Despite not having any salaried GPs at present, we do feel well supported by the surgery,” she said. “We have continuity of care as many of the locums have worked at Meddygfa’r Sarn for years. It’s a great team and we really value being able to access care locally and get an appointment when needed. Being seen promptly at the local surgery keeps patients away from A&E which is a cost saving in the long run. The Health Board’s recommendation shows a lack of vision and forward planning.”

The FOI documents also reveal that Meddygfa’r Sarn is far from alone in its reliance on locums. Minafon surgery in Kidwelly – which would receive approximately 1,000 extra patients under the proposed dispersal plan – is itself 83% reliant on locum staff. Other managed practices are between 29% and 77% reliant on locums, raising serious questions about the capacity of receiving surgeries to absorb thousands of displaced patients overnight.

Retired nurse Janet Knott, who served the NHS for 52 years including many years in the Gwendraeth area, warned that the proposed mass dispersal of patients would place enormous strain on receiving surgeries and their staff. “The Health Board’s plans would see thousands of patients transferred overnight. That is very worrying for patients but also for the staff at the other surgeries, particularly the reception staff, who would have to field calls from many more anxious patients,” she said. She added that the people of the Gwendraeth valley felt “let down and discriminated against” by the proposals.

Janet and Jane spoke to Dylan Ebenezer on Radio Cymru’s Dros Frecwast programme on 23 April – the same day the S4C party leaders debate took place at Yr Egin in Carmarthen, with health and NHS spending taking centre stage. Following the interview, Janet surprised Dylan by revealing a personal connection – she had supported his mother-in-law during her time in Glangwili’s maternity unit after giving birth to his wife, and Dylan had long heard stories of a nurse named Janet who had been particularly supportive. He insisted on a photograph to share with his wife.

The working group has submitted a 52-page report and separate sustainability document to the health board, alongside a new proposal from a clinical team to provide services at Meddygfa’r Sarn. Hundreds of patients attended three public engagement events or responded in writing during the consultation process.

Campaigners are concerned that the FOI documents – which arrived too late to inform their formal submission – may contain further significant revelations. They are continuing to work through the material.

The surgery serves patients across the Gwendraeth valley, and campaigners say its closure would leave a vulnerable rural community without accessible local primary care, pushing patients towards already-stretched services in Llanelli and Carmarthen.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has been approached for comment.

A final decision on the future of Meddygfa’r Sarn will be made at the Hywel Dda University Health Board meeting on Wednesday 28 May at Yr Egin, Carmarthen. Campaigners will be attending in person, and the proceedings can be followed online – details will be published on the Hywel Dda website.

Our Meddygfa’r Sarn coverage

Senedd candidate joins campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn as pressure on health board mounts
Political pressure grows as the Senedd election campaign focuses attention on the surgery’s future.

Campaigners lodge formal complaint over Pontyates GP surgery closure plans
The working group escalates its challenge to the health board’s process.

Hundreds protest to save Pontyates GP surgery as council demands action
Community anger spills over as councillors demand the health board think again.

Residents step up fight to save Pontyates GP surgery as confidence in health board process collapses
The campaign intensifies as trust in the consultation process breaks down.

Pontyates surgery gets temporary lifeline as health board delays final decision
A stay of execution – but the final decision is now set for 28 May.

Future of Pontyates GP surgery in doubt as health board considers dispersing all 4,300 patients
Our original report when the closure threat first emerged.

#GPRecruitment #HywelDdaNHS #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

PONTYATES SURGERY: Senedd candidate Carl Peters-Bond joins campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn as pressure on health board mounts

Independent Senedd candidate and Kidwelly Town Mayor Carl Peters-Bond has publicly backed the campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates, joining a growing list of political figures demanding that Hywel Dda University Health Board halt its closure plans.

Peters-Bond, who is standing as the Sir Gaerfyrddin and Kidwelly constituency candidate at the upcoming Senedd election, is himself a patient at the surgery. He met with campaign co-ordinator Clare Treharne outside the practice to hear residents’ concerns and discuss the growing frustration with the process being led by the health board.

He said the surgery was far more than a building to the people who relied on it. “Pontyates Surgery is not just a building — it is a lifeline. For many residents, especially older people and those without transport, losing this surgery would mean losing access to basic healthcare. That is simply unacceptable,” he said.

Peters-Bond said he had been struck by the strength of feeling among patients and campaigners. “I’ve spoken to patients, campaigners and local councillors. The message is the same every time: people feel ignored, sidelined and worn down by a process that seems designed to reach a predetermined outcome. This community deserves better,” he said.

Independent Senedd Candidate, Carl Peters-Bond with Meddygfa’r Sarn campaign organiser Clare Treharne

The campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn has gathered considerable momentum in recent months. Hundreds of residents have attended protest events, a petition has passed 1,000 signatures, a human chain was formed around the building, and campaigners have lodged a formal complaint about the way the consultation process has been handled. Local councillors have repeatedly said they have lost confidence in the health board’s approach.

Peters-Bond warned that closure would have knock-on consequences across the wider rural healthcare system. Patients dispersed to other practices would pile pressure onto already overstretched surgeries, travel times for appointments would increase sharply for those without cars, and vulnerable residents would face new barriers to accessing even routine care.

He said the pattern of rural communities losing services first was one that had to end. “Rural communities like Pontyates are always the first to lose services and the last to see investment. This pattern has to end. Healthcare should be based on need, not postcode,” he said.

He is calling on Hywel Dda University Health Board to halt the closure process, publish transparent evidence for any proposed changes, engage meaningfully with residents and campaigners, and commit to maintaining GP provision in Pontyates.

Carl Peters-Bond speaking with Meddygfa’r Sarn campaign organiser Clare Treharne

“People have lost trust in this process — and with good reason. The health board must reset its approach, listen to the community and guarantee that GP services will remain in Pontyates,” Peters-Bond said.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has not yet responded to the latest calls for the process to be paused.

Swansea Bay News coverage of the Pontyates Surgery campaign

Campaigners lodge formal complaint over Pontyates GP surgery closure plans
How residents escalated their concerns after losing confidence in the health board’s process.

Hundreds protest to save Pontyates GP surgery as council demands action
The human chain, the packed public meetings and the growing political pressure.

Health board to hold extra public meeting on Pontyates GP surgery closure plans
How the health board responded to the campaign — and why campaigners remained unconvinced.

Council demands action on Pontyates surgery closure as councillors warn of ‘predetermined outcome’
The full story of the council motion and the accusations against the health board.

#CarlPetersBond #HywelDda #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #Kidwelly #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

Hundreds protest to save Pontyates GP surgery as council demands action

Over 100 supporters formed a human chain around the surgery on Tuesday, 24th February, in a ‘Cwtsho’r Sarn’ solidarity event designed to show the strength of feeling in the community against the closure plans. The protest came as Hywel Dda University Health Board held a drop-in engagement session in the nearby Memorial Hall, which saw hundreds of worried residents attend to voice their concerns.

Hywel Dda is currently holding an eight-week consultation on the future of the surgery, with its preferred option being to disperse the practice’s 3,000 patients to other surgeries in the area.

Hundreds of worried residents packed the nearby Memorial Hall for a drop-in engagement session organised by Hywel Dda health board, with queues forming outside at times. Image: Papur y Cwm

Organisers of the human chain, which had been planned as a highly visual show of solidarity, said they were delighted with the strong turnout. They were joined by local councillors and received backing from Senedd members including Adam Price and Cefin Campbell.

Llanelli MS Lee Waters, who has previously raised the alarm over the surgery’s future, pledged to continue advocating on behalf of patients. He said: “Local GP services matter. They’re about access, continuity of care, and supporting the health of the whole community.”

Residents form a human chain outside Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates, holding banners including “Keep Care Close to Home – Pontiets Needs Its Surgery” as part of the Cwtsho’r Sarn solidarity event on Tuesday 24th February. Image: Papur y Cwm

At the engagement event, residents raised concerns about the capacity of the neighbouring Coalbrook surgery in Pontyberem to absorb the extra patients, citing access issues, limited parking, and long waiting times.

Long-term patient Ffani Cattran, 77, felt that concerns about transport for those without cars were not adequately addressed. “They haven’t taken on board the transport issues and are assuming that people will be able to get lifts, which is neither fair nor reasonable,” she said. “This is a deprived area with historic health inequalities from its industrial past.”

Staff from Meddygfa’r Sarn surgery in Pontyates show their support for the campaign to keep the practice open. Image: Papur y Cwm

The protests follow a decision by Carmarthenshire County Council on 25th February to demand action from the Health Board. The council passed a motion to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, asking for alternatives to closure to be properly considered. The council will also write to Hywel Dda’s Chair and Chief Executive to request that a Health Impact Assessment and an Equality Impact Assessment are published and considered before any final decision is made.

The campaign’s petition to save the surgery, which has gathered approximately 3,000 signatures, is set to be considered by the Senedd’s Petitions Committee on 2nd March.

#Carmarthenshire #CwtshoRSarn #GPSurgery #GPSurgeryClosure #HywelDda #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #NHS #Pontiets #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery #protest

MS raises alarm over Pontyates GP closure as fears grow surgery is being “wound down”

Mr Waters said he has been contacted by a large number of residents who fear the village could lose its only GP surgery without a genuine attempt to save it. He has now written to the Chief Executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board demanding answers on recruitment, consultation and the future of primary care in the area.

In his letter, the MS said local people were “deeply concerned” that closure was being presented as inevitable rather than a last resort. He said patients had raised “serious and credible questions” about whether alternatives had been explored at all.

He also questioned the Health Board’s handling of staffing issues. Constituents, he said, had reported “no recent visible attempt” to recruit new GPs or partners, despite workforce shortages being cited as a key reason for shutting the surgery. Some patients claim expressions of interest from GPs were not followed up, and that roles such as practice manager were not properly advertised.

Mr Waters said these concerns “require clear and evidenced answers”.

The MS also challenged the rationale around the building itself. He said residents disputed claims about flooding risk and suitability, and questioned why alternative premises in the community had not been seriously considered.

In his Facebook post, Mr Waters said access to GP services “matters hugely in rural communities”, especially where public transport is limited and neighbouring practices are already under pressure.

He said patients and staff “deserve clear answers” and insisted that local voices must be properly heard before any final decision is made.

The letter calls on the Health Board to set out exactly what steps have been taken to retain GP provision in Pontyates, what alternatives to closure have been assessed, and how patient feedback will influence the outcome.

Letter from Llanelli MS Lee Waters raising concerns with Hywel Dda University Health Board about the proposed closure of Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Residents step up fight to save Pontyates GP surgery
Campaigners say confidence in the Health Board’s process has collapsed as pressure grows locally.

Councillors say they’ve lost confidence in Health Board process
Local councillors raise concerns about transparency and the handling of the closure proposal.

Health Board launches eight‑week consultation
Hywel Dda opens a formal consultation as the future of the surgery remains uncertain.

Pontyates surgery gets temporary lifeline
A final decision is delayed, giving the community more time to make its case.

Councillors demand halt to closure plans
Elected members call for the process to be paused amid growing public concern.

Future of Pontyates GP surgery in doubt
The Health Board considers dispersing all 4,300 patients to neighbouring practices.

#doctorsSurgery #GPSurgeryClosure #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #LeeWatersMS #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

Residents step up fight to save Pontyates GP surgery as confidence in health board process collapses

The proposal emerged last month when the health board confirmed it was looking at dispersing the surgery’s 4,300 patients to practices in Kidwelly, Trimsaran and Pontyberem. The news spread quickly on social media, prompting a wave of concern across the Gwendraeth Valley.

Community forms working group as fears grow for vulnerable patients

A local working group has now been set up to coordinate the response. Resident Clare Treharne, who is leading the effort, said the proposal had “galvanised the whole community”, describing the surgery as a lifeline for people who rely on local access to healthcare. She said campaigners were going door‑to‑door and directing residents to a new website set up to share information.

Another resident, Jon‑Paul Hunter, who built the site, said people without cars could face taking two buses to reach alternative surgeries if Meddygfa’r Sarn closes. He warned that the plan risked leaving vulnerable patients cut off from routine care.

Campaigners also point to Hywel Dda’s own modelling, which suggests Coalbrook Surgery in Pontyberem could see its patient list rise by around 60% under the proposal. They say that level of pressure would affect both existing patients and those transferred from Pontyates.

The village pharmacy, Harlow & Knowles, is supporting the campaign and is distributing copies of the petition and a patient survey.

Councillors say they have ‘lost all confidence’ in the process

Tensions escalated earlier this week when local councillors issued a statement saying they had “lost all confidence” in Hywel Dda’s engagement process. The criticism followed an online briefing on 12 February, during which councillors said the health board showed little willingness to consider alternatives.

Their concerns echo issues raised in recent weeks across the Gwendraeth, where residents have repeatedly questioned whether the engagement exercise is meaningful. The health board has launched an eight‑week engagement period, which runs until April, before the board considers the issue in May.

Health board says no decision has been made

Hywel Dda says no final decision has been taken on the future of Meddygfa’r Sarn. Andrew Carruthers, Chief Operating Officer at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said the board recognised the strength of feeling locally and understood concerns about trust in the process.

He said the engagement period was designed to gather feedback before any decision is made, adding that the recommendation to disperse patients came from the Vacant Practice Panel because of “ongoing challenges in sustaining the practice”, including difficulties securing long‑term clinical cover.

Carruthers said the health board welcomed the involvement of local councillors and was committed to listening to residents over the coming weeks. He said all feedback would be “fully and fairly considered” before the board meets in May.

Campaigners vow to keep fighting

Campaigners say they will continue to oppose the closure and want the health board to work with the community “in good faith” rather than, in their view, presenting the proposal as a foregone conclusion. They say the next few weeks will be crucial as the engagement period continues.

#campaignGroup #GPSurgeryClosure #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

Councillors say they’ve “lost all confidence” in Health Board’s process over Pontyates surgery closure

The three councillors — Tyssul Evans, Meinir James and Alex Evans — issued a joint statement after an online engagement session held by Hywel Dda earlier this week. They say the meeting raised “deeply troubling” concerns about how the Health Board is handling the eight‑week engagement exercise, which began on 9 February.

According to the councillors, Health Board officials confirmed that the engagement will not consider alternatives to closure and will instead focus solely on the impact that shutting the surgery would have on local communities. They say this makes the process fundamentally flawed.

The councillors also say Hywel Dda admitted it has not attempted to recruit a salaried GP for over a year, and would not commit to making a further attempt before the Board meets in May to decide the surgery’s future.

They claim a senior officer told them that Health Board policies do not require community engagement at all, and that a decision to close the surgery could have been taken at the January Board meeting without any public involvement.

Concerns were also raised about the number and timing of in‑person drop‑in sessions, with councillors saying several affected villages have been excluded and that no evening sessions have been arranged. They say some residents may receive notification only a week before the first session takes place.

In their joint statement, the councillors said the meeting had left them with “no alternative” but to go public.

“Following the answers given and the attitudes displayed by Hywel Dda representatives during the online engagement session held on Monday evening for local councillors, we have lost all confidence in this engagement exercise,” they said.

“Learning that alternatives to closure will not be considered as part of the engagement was, in our view, the final straw. Given that the Health Board has already had to publicly apologise to our communities for how this proposal was first announced, we expected a far greater level of care to be taken to ensure that this process was fair, open and credible.”

They added that while they continue to urge residents to take part in the engagement, they now believe a separate, full public consultation with independent oversight will be required if the future of the surgery is to be decided “fairly and transparently”.

The councillors’ intervention marks a significant escalation in the row over the future of Meddygfa’r Sarn, which serves around 4,300 patients. Swansea Bay News has previously reported on the community backlash, calls for a halt to closure plans, and warnings that dispersing patients across neighbouring practices could leave residents facing long journeys and reduced access to care.

Responding to the councillors comments, Andrew Carruthers, Chief Operating Officer at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said:

“We recognise the vital role that GPs play in supporting the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities, and we understand the strength of feeling locally about Meddygfa’r Sarn.

“We also recognise that some people have raised concerns about trust in the engagement and decision making process. I want to reassure residents, patients and elected representatives that no decision has been reached about the future of the practice.

“At our January meeting, the Board agreed to an eight‑week period of engagement to help us better understand the potential impacts of the Vacant Practice Panel’s recommendation and to hear directly from the communities affected. This approach is in line with Welsh Government guidance on consultation and engagement.

“The recommendation was made by the Vacant Practice Panel because of ongoing challenges in sustaining the practice, including difficulties in securing long‑term clinical cover, and the need to ensure safe, consistent and high‑quality care for patients.”

Mr Carruthers added:

“We welcomed the opportunity to meet with local councillors earlier this week and we value their involvement and challenge as part of this process.

“We know that confidence in engagement is built through listening and openness, and over the coming weeks we are committed to hearing carefully what people tell us, including concerns, experiences and what the potential benefits and impacts could be should Meddygfa’r Sarn’s patients be dispersed to other practices locally.

“We will ensure that the feedback received is fully and fairly considered by the Board at its meeting in May. The purpose of this engagement is to inform our understanding before any decision is taken, and we encourage residents and stakeholders to take part so their voices shape the discussion.”

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Eight‑week consultation launched on Pontyates surgery
Hywel Dda began its engagement exercise as residents warned the closure would hit vulnerable patients hardest.

Pontyates surgery gets temporary lifeline
The Health Board delayed its decision after mounting pressure from patients and community leaders.

Councillors demand halt to closure plans
Local representatives urged Hywel Dda to pause the process amid concerns over transparency and fairness.

Community backlash grows over proposed closure
Residents warned losing the surgery would be a “massive blow” to Pontyates and surrounding villages.

Future of Pontyates surgery in doubt
Hywel Dda considered dispersing all 4,300 patients to neighbouring practices.

#CllrAlexEvans #CllrMeinirJames #CllrTyssulEvans #GPSurgeryClosure #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

Health board launches eight‑week consultation as future of Pontyates GP surgery hangs in the balance

The move comes after months of community anger, political pressure and repeated warnings from residents that losing Meddygfa’r Sarn would be a “massive blow” to the village. The health board had been expected to make a final decision last month, but delayed the vote following a fierce backlash and calls from councillors to halt the closure plans.

Now, officials say they want to “listen carefully” before deciding whether to press ahead with the recommendation to shut the practice and transfer patients to surgeries in Pontyberem, Kidwelly or Llanelli.

The engagement period runs from 9 February to 6 April, with questionnaires being posted to every household and drop‑in events planned in Pontyates and Pontyberem.

Hywel Dda says the surgery has faced “ongoing and significant staffing challenges” for years and currently has no permanently employed GPs. The building itself is described as small, outdated and offering “limited facilities”.

In October, the health board convened a Vacant Practice Panel — a process used when a GP practice can no longer sustain itself — which concluded that dispersing the patient list was the “most sustainable long‑term solution”.

But the proposal has sparked deep concern in the Amman Gwendraeth area, where residents say the surgery is a lifeline for older people, those without transport and families who rely on being able to see a doctor locally.

Local councillors have repeatedly urged the health board to rethink, warning that neighbouring practices are already under pressure and that dispersal could leave vulnerable patients travelling miles for care.

In a statement launching the engagement period, Andrew Carruthers, Chief Operating Officer at Hywel Dda, acknowledged the strength of feeling.

“We understand the impact this proposed change has had on the local community in Pontyates and so we want to listen carefully to the views of those most affected,” he said.

“Your feedback will help us explore what support may be needed and will inform the Board when it considers the recommendation in May.”

Residents can return paper questionnaires to Meddygfa’r Sarn or Pontyates Community Pharmacy, complete the survey online, or attend one of two public drop‑in sessions:

Tuesday 24 February, 1pm–6.30pm, Pontyates Welfare Hall
Tuesday 3 March, 3pm–6pm, Pontyberem Memorial Hall

Feedback can also be submitted by phone or email by emailing [email protected], and Llais — the statutory patient voice body — is gathering views separately.

All responses will be presented to the health board ahead of its meeting on 28 May, when the future of the surgery will finally be decided.

For now, Meddygfa’r Sarn remains open as usual — but the community knows the clock is ticking.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Pontyates surgery gets temporary lifeline
Health board delays its final decision after community pressure.

Councillors demand halt to closure plans
Local representatives call for a pause as concerns grow.

Community backlash grows over surgery’s future
Residents warn closure would be a “massive blow” to the village.

Future of Pontyates GP surgery in doubt
Health board considers dispersing all 4,300 patients to other practices.

#GPSurgery #GPSurgeryClosure #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

Councillors demand halt to Pontyates GP surgery closure plans as pressure mounts on Hywel Dda

The intervention comes just five days after Swansea Bay News first revealed the surgery’s future was in doubt on 22 January, sparking immediate concern among residents and community leaders.

In a letter sent yesterday to the Chair and Chief Executive of Hywel Dda, Pontyates councillors Alex Evans, Tyssul Evans and Meinir James set out a series of objections to the proposal, which is due to go out to public consultation on 9 February.

They say the health board appears to have a “preferred option” of closure before the consultation has even begun, and warn that the impact on patients has not been properly assessed.

The councillors argue that forcing thousands of patients to register elsewhere would pile pressure onto already overstretched practices in Pontyberem, Kidwelly and surrounding communities. For many residents — particularly older people, disabled patients, carers and those without cars — reaching alternative surgeries would require taking two buses.

They have asked the health board to confirm whether an Equality Impact Assessment and Health Impact Assessment have been completed and published, and say no consultation should begin until this work is done.

The letter also calls for a pause to the process and “meaningful engagement” with the community on alternatives to closure. A written response has been requested as a matter of urgency.

Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith said she “very much shares patients’ concerns” and has asked health board bosses to attend a public meeting with residents as part of the consultation.

The fight to save the surgery comes as Pontyates faces another major battle over local services. Earlier this month, villagers secured a temporary stay of closure for Pontyates Primary School, but parents warned the reprieve was only the start of a longer campaign.

Residents say losing both the school and the GP surgery would hollow out the village and leave families without essential services.

With the consultation on Meddygfa’r Sarn due to open in early February, campaigners say the next few weeks will be crucial for the future of healthcare in the Gwendraeth Valley.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Future of Pontyates GP surgery in doubt as health board considers dispersing all 4,300 patients
Initial report revealing the threat to Meddygfa’r Sarn and the scale of the impact on local healthcare.

Community backlash grows as residents warn closure of Pontyates GP surgery would be a ‘massive blow’
Residents speak out as fears rise over losing the village’s only GP practice.

Pontyates villagers vow to continue fight to save school
The community secures a temporary stay of closure for the primary school but warns the battle isn’t over.

#CllrAlexEvans #CllrMeinirJames #CllrTyssulEvans #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #NiaGriffithMP #Pontiets #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery #YsgolPontiets

Community backlash grows as residents warn closure of Pontyates GP surgery would be “a massive blow”

The outcry follows Swansea Bay News’ report that Hywel Dda University Health Board is considering dispersing all 4,300 patients from Meddygfa’r Sarn to neighbouring practices from June 2026. Local councillors said they were “shocked” to learn of the proposal and had received no prior warning.

Councillors say they were blindsided by the announcement

Cllr Tyssul Evans and Cllr Meinir James, who both represent Llangyndeyrn Ward, and Cllr Alex Evans, who represents Glyn Ward, said they only discovered the proposal when the health board’s press release appeared on Facebook.

Cllr Tyssul Evans, Cllr Meinir James (Llangyndeyrn Ward) and Cllr Alex Evans (Glyn Ward) said:

“We were shocked to learn yesterday, via a press release shared on Facebook, of Hywel Dda University Health Board’s plans to consider closing Meddygfa’r Sarn GP surgery in Pontyates. We had no prior knowledge that the surgery was even at risk of closing and we fully appreciate the anxiety and concern this announcement will have caused for patients and residents.

“We understand the real concerns about how patients would be able to access GP care if the 4,300 patients registered in Pontyates were transferred to other surgeries in Pontyberem, Kidwelly and Llanelli. There is no direct bus route to Pontyberem for many patients registered at Meddygfa’r Sarn and there is no direct bus for anyone to Kidwelly. We also appreciate the potential knock‑on effect this could have on other local services in the village, including the chemist.

“We want to reassure everyone that we will do everything we can to save the surgery in Pontyates from closing. We will be launching a petition and outlining the further actions we propose to take in support of a campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn next week. We will be sure to keep you all fully updated as these details are finalised.”

Residents say closure would leave thousands cut off

Dozens of residents have now taken to social media to condemn the potential closure, describing the surgery as a lifeline for Pontyates and surrounding villages.

Many warned that neighbouring practices in Pontyberem, Kidwelly and Llanelli are already overstretched, with long waits for appointments and limited capacity.

Phillip Griffiths said the plan “makes no sense”, arguing that Pontyates Surgery is centrally located, has good parking and sits next to the village chemist. Others raised fears that the chemist itself could be at risk if the GP service disappears.

Kaye Hamer said many residents simply had no way of travelling to other surgeries. Jo Clarke warned the move would hit older patients hardest, saying it was “wrong” to expect people who have lived in the village all their lives to travel miles for care.

Lorraine Edwards said the proposal came “just when you think healthcare couldn’t get any worse”, while Andrew Williams said neighbouring practices already rely heavily on locum doctors, making continuity of care difficult.

Front view of Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates, the GP surgery at the centre of proposals to disperse its patient list. Image: Google Maps.

Concerns over transport, capacity and impact on elderly patients

Residents repeatedly highlighted the lack of direct bus routes to Pontyberem and Kidwelly, with some journeys requiring multiple changes and taking hours.

Julie Harry said public transport was “absolutely non‑existent”, while Andrea Gower questioned how the health board expected patients to travel at all. She also disputed claims the site sits on a flood plain, saying she had “never seen the place flooded”.

Others warned the closure would be a “massive blow” to the village, particularly for elderly and vulnerable residents.

Lisa Evans‑James said her 93‑year‑old grandmother had relied on the surgery for decades and could not travel further afield. She said the practice offered continuity, familiarity and reassurance that could not be replaced by dispersing patients across multiple towns.

“This surgery isn’t just a building – it’s familiar faces, continuity of care, and reassurance,” she said. “To the health board we may just be numbers on a list, but behind every number is a person, a family, and a real need for accessible care.”

Petition launched as anger builds

A petition launched by local resident Clare Treharne has gathered more than 500 signatures in less than 24 hours. She warned that dispersing patients would mean longer travel distances, reduced continuity of care and increased pressure on already overstretched practices.

The petition calls on Hywel Dda to reject the proposal, consult properly with residents and commit to keeping GP services in Pontyates.

Health board urged to rethink

Many residents accused the health board of failing to understand the geography of the area or the realities of rural transport.

Helen Thomas said Pontyberem Surgery “can’t cope as it is”, while Ryan Hayhurst described the proposal as “outrageous”. Others warned the move would push more patients into already overstretched A&E departments.

Caroline Owens Green said the community “can’t sit back and let the health board push this through”, while Kerry Jane Hards said life would be “desperate” without the surgery.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has said no final decision has been made and that it will consider feedback before any recommendation is taken forward.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Future of Pontyates GP surgery in doubt
Health board confirms it is considering dispersing all 4,300 patients to neighbouring practices.

Petition: Save Meddygfa’r Sarn GP Surgery
More than 500 people sign within 24 hours as residents rally to protect local healthcare.

#CllrAlexEvans #CllrMeinirJames #CllrTyssulEvans #GP #GPSurgery #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #Llangyndeyrn #MeddygfaRSarn #petition #Pontiets #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery

Future of Pontyates GP surgery in doubt as health board considers dispersing all 4,300 patients

A report going before the Board on Thursday 29 January recommends that the surgery’s entire patient list should be broken up and transferred elsewhere from 30 June 2026, ending almost a decade of the health board running the practice.

If approved, thousands of people in Pontyates would be automatically moved to other surgeries based on where they live, with most expected to be sent to Coalbrook Surgery in Pontyberem, Meddygfa Minafon in Kidwelly, or practices in Llanelli.

A surgery too small, too cramped — and sitting in a flood zone

The Board paper paints a stark picture of the Pontyates building. It describes a surgery that is simply too small for the number of patients it serves, with every room already in use and no space to expand. Staff have no proper break room, often relying on borrowed space elsewhere in the village.

The building sits at the bottom of the valley, in an area officially classed as a Natural Resources Wales flood zone. The car park and surrounding land have flooded before, leaving the surgery cut off, with staff unable to get in or out.

A recent Health & Safety inspection found exposed pipework, inadequate electrical points, missing downpipes, and no emergency lighting outside. The lease on the building runs out in October 2026, adding further pressure to find a long‑term solution.

No permanent GPs and rising costs

The report confirms that Meddygfa’r Sarn has no permanent doctors at all. The practice is now entirely dependent on locums, with the health board struggling to attract salaried GPs despite repeated attempts.

Running the surgery costs more than £1 million a year, with almost half of that spent on locum GP sessions alone. The panel reviewing the practice’s future said this level of reliance on temporary doctors is not sustainable and does not provide the continuity of care patients deserve.

What it means for people in Pontyates

For local residents, the impact could be significant. The nearest alternative practice, Coalbrook Surgery in Pontyberem, is three miles away, and public transport is limited, with only eight buses a day between the two villages. Some patients may have to travel even further, to Kidwelly or Llanelli, depending on their postcode.

Older patients, those without cars, and families juggling work and childcare could face longer journeys for appointments and reduced access to care if the dispersal goes ahead.

Why the panel wants dispersal

A Vacant Practice Panel met in October 2025 to examine four options: keeping Sarn as a standalone practice, merging it with Meddygfa Minafon, finding a new provider, or dispersing the patient list.

The panel ruled out keeping the surgery open, saying the combination of premises issues, workforce shortages, and rising costs made it unviable. A merger with Minafon would create a huge 13,000‑patient practice spread across multiple sites, which the panel felt would bring its own problems. Procuring a new provider was considered too risky and unlikely to solve the building issues.

Dispersal emerged as the only option the panel believed could guarantee long‑term stability for patients. Coalbrook Surgery has already told the health board it is keen to grow its list, which strengthened the case for transferring patients there.

“We have a duty to ensure safe and sustainable care”

Andrew Carruthers, Chief Operating Officer at Hywel Dda, said the Board would give the recommendation careful consideration.

He said Meddygfa’r Sarn had struggled to provide the continuity of care the health board wanted for patients, and that dispersal may be the best way to ensure people in the area receive reliable, high‑quality GP services.

Andrew Carruthers, said:

“As a health board we have a duty to ensure safe, sustainable and high-quality delivery of General Medical Services for our population. 

“Meddygfa’r Sarn is a small and rural practice and has struggled to provide the level of continuity of care and services we would like for our patients. The panel felt that dispersing the patient list is the best way forward to ensure that patients have access to the best possible care and the Board will give careful consideration to this recommendation.

“If the recommendation of the Vacant Practice Panel is approved, the health board is committed to engaging with patients, staff, local communities and stakeholders before any changes are implemented to understand how the change could impact them and consider any mitigations needed.”

If the Board approves the recommendation, the health board says it will carry out full engagement with patients, staff and the local community before any changes are made.

No final decision yet

The Board will discuss the proposal on 29 January, with a seven‑week public engagement period planned if the recommendation is approved.

For now, the future of Pontyates’ only GP surgery remains uncertain — and thousands of local patients face the possibility of being moved to new practices by the summer.

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#CoalbrookSurgery #featured #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontiets #Pontyates #PontyatesDoctorsSurgery #Pontyberem