Former Prestatyn council offices to house new GP hub

Prestatyn's former Ty Nant council offices will become a new medical centre for 23,000 patients, after being given the go-ahead by councillors.

The decision to lease the building to the local health board comes ahead of the closure of two GP practices.

Both practices will be merged into the new Healthy Prestatyn Iach centre, which health bosses said would create a "better and more responsive service".

The centre will open on 1 April, and will move to Ty Nant from December.

Healthy Prestatyn Iach will be run by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), and will have nine GPs, with one more due to be appointed alongside nurses, physios, occupational therapists, pharmacists, community workers, and midwives.

It will run alongside Healthy Rhuddlan Iach, where another GP practice is also due to close.

Recruitment problems

BCUHB central region's medical director Dr Chris Stockport said the decision was taken after the three existing GP practices experienced recruitment difficulties.

"Pendyffryn, the larger practice in Prestatyn, had lost three or four GPs over the past couple of years and those who remained were struggling with the workload.

"GPs at the other practices were finding it difficult to get time off as nobody could be found to cover for them."

The Ty Nant offices, which have been vacant since 2014, have attracted little interest since being put on the market.

Jamie Groves, Denbighshire council's head of assets and housing, said: "Reducing the budget through closing administrative buildings means we can protect valuable frontline services to the public."