Health board accused of misleading claims over recruitment as pressure mounts ahead of final decision
A FREEDOM of Information disclosure has raised serious questions over plans to close Meddygfa’r Sarn in Pontyates, with claims the health board failed to properly attempt to recruit permanent doctors before recommending its shutdown.
The row centres on Hywel Dda University Health Board, which is due to make a final decision on the surgery’s future later this month.
An FOI response reveals that while the board cited a “lack of recruitment interest” in its January report, there is limited evidence of any recent, targeted recruitment campaign specifically aimed at the Pontyates practice.
Instead, the board confirmed that salaried GP roles were advertised in 2020 across its wider portfolio of managed practices — rather than as a focused effort to fill posts at Meddygfa’r Sarn itself. Those vacancies did not result in successful appointments.
‘No real attempt’
Independent Senedd candidate Carl Peters-Bond, who is also a patient at the surgery, has strongly criticised the health board, accusing it of presenting a misleading picture to justify closure.
He said: “They cited a lack of recruitment interest as justification for closing this surgery — but they never actually ran a proper recruitment campaign for it.
“Sending out general adverts years ago is not the same as making a serious, targeted effort to keep a vital community service alive.”
He also raised concerns about the consultation process, claiming it focused on the impact of closure rather than asking whether closure should happen at all.
Fully reliant on locums
The FOI confirms that Meddygfa’r Sarn currently has no salaried GPs and is entirely dependent on locum doctors.
While the health board says this model is unsustainable in the long term, the same disclosure shows several other managed practices across the region also rely heavily on locum staff — some to a significant degree.
Cost data included in the response suggests Meddygfa’r Sarn is not the most expensive practice per patient within the health board’s area.
Alternative options unclear
Another key issue raised by campaigners is the apparent lack of explored alternatives.
The FOI response indicates that the health board does not hold information on alternative local solutions, including potential relocation or different service models within the Pontyates area.
Campaigners argue this suggests closure was considered before all options had been properly examined.
A 52-page independent report submitted as part of the consultation process states that dispersing patients to other surgeries should only be considered as a last resort, after full recruitment efforts and capacity assessments have been carried out.
Health board position
Hywel Dda University Health Board maintains that the surgery, which serves around 4,350 patients, has faced long-standing recruitment difficulties and increasing reliance on temporary staff.
It says a Vacant Practice Panel concluded that dispersing patients to neighbouring surgeries would provide a more sustainable long-term solution.
The board has also acknowledged that transport and access concerns are likely to be a major issue for patients if the closure goes ahead, with a full Equality Impact Assessment expected to be considered before a final decision.
Decision later this month
The future of Meddygfa’r Sarn will be decided at a meeting of Hywel Dda University Health Board on Wednesday (May 28) at Yr Egin in Carmarthen.
With local anger growing and new questions emerging from the FOI disclosure, pressure is mounting on board members to reconsider the proposal.
Campaigners say the case now hinges on a simple question: whether enough was done to save the surgery before moving to close it.
