Solva: GP surgery gets lifeline as health board takes it over

Solva Surgery has about 2,400 patients and is set to be taken over by the council

A doctor's surgery is to be taken over by a health board after the GP announced she was retiring at the end of March.

Hywel Dda health board has agreed to take over Solva practice for 12 months from 1 April amid concerns patients would have to travel to Fishguard or Haverfordwest for treatment.

It will be the sixth practice to be managed directly by the authority.

A working group will now be set up to find a long term solution.

Residents have called for a health and social care hub at the surgery for the village's ageing population.

Community council chairman, Ifor Thomas, welcomed the decision but feared they were "not out of the woods yet".

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"We will continue to work with the same vigour to ensure we achieve a primary care model that puts integrated care and preventative medicine at the forefront," he said.

About 70 worried residents attended a public meeting about the matter

Chairwoman of the working group on the surgery's future, Sue Denman, said: "We are ready to work closely with the health board, as we have been over the past three months, to achieve the best solution for our communities."

Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Paul Davies said previously it was "absolutely imperative" a long term solution be found.

"We want to see the surgery staying in Solva," he said.