Questions concerning Tenby’s doctor’s surgery were put to the facilty’s new manager at a recent meeting.

Acting chair Mansel Thomas gave a warm welcome to everyone especially the guest speakers, the surgery’s new manager Matt McGivern, and also Elaine Lorton.

Mr. Thomas explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review what was and what was not working well with our local health service and any news of the HUB in Tenby.

After the minutes had been read out, concerns were raised about the recruitment and training of new GPs.

It seems that the GP training funded by the Welsh government is having a positive effect and will result in new GPs starting work soon.

Another positive was the ending of queueing outside the surgery for appointments.

Matt McGivern, the Tenby surgery’s new manager then talked about some of the changes that have taken place since he took on the job a few months ago, and admitted that there was still a lot more to do.

The earlier opening, prescriptions on line, more specialist nurses, and listening to patients complaints have all been welcomed.

There are however days when more staff are needed.

Good news is that another Nurse Practioner will soon be in place and an extra GP in September.

When answering a question about the long time having to be spent waiting for a phone call to be answered for appointment making and the possibility of the surgery adopting ‘my help on line’.

Mr. McGivern said that it was being investigated as a possibility. He also explained that people need to be educated as to who they really need to see.

Not all medical issues need a GP many can be solved by the nurses or pharmacist.

This then frees up time for the seriously ill to be seen by a GP. A quarterly letter will be out soon and might help with this.

Mr. McGivern also talked about the problems the surgery has with people not turning up for appointments, and how this could be resolved

The last two items on the agenda regarding the Walk in Service and the HUB were taken together by Elaine Lorton County Director for Pembrokeshire.

Last year 6,000 people used the walk in service.

The service is greatly appreciated by the local people with wonderful comments received.

The nurses are all ENPs and more are being trained so that in time support can be offered to the surgery.

This will be part of a health hub comprising of a walk in service, GP surgery, dentist, and pharmacy and in winter the ENP nurses will be able to give support to the district nurses as well.

The HUBs aim must be to become a ‘Health and Wellbeing Centre’ which will link the community together to help everyone’s long term health improve.

Mr Thomas left the agenda item regarding the future of SEPCHN till last and would like people to give it some serious thought, asking if it could help with the conversations needed regarding the community working together with the NHS for our future good health