Plans are to be developed for a walk-in health service for residents and tourists at Tenby Cottage Resource Centre, Hywel Dda University Health Board confirmed at its latest public board meeting.

A full specification will need to be agreed, but the service is likely to be able to offer convenient access to a range of treatments for minor illnesses and injuries.

The service will be a joint collaboration between the Health Board and Tenby GP Practice. The Health Board piloted a walk-in services, led by nurses at Tenby Cottage Resource Centre during the Easter break, and Tenby GP Practice has also been providing a nurse practitioner-led service for patients.

Advanced nurse practitioners are highly-skilled health care professionals with expert knowledge and who can offer advanced care and treatment directly to patients, or refer to other services if necessary.

At the Health Board meeting, interim director for commissioning, primary care, therapies and health sciences Jill Paterson explained: “Both the practice and the Health Board have experience of this type of model and can see the merits of accessible provision for the local community, which also lessens the dependence on GP-led services and emergency departments.”

During the 10-day Easter pilot, which was open between 10 am and 6 pm, a total of 180 patients were seen.

Treatment and care was provided to 142 of those patients within the service itself, 31 were referred for follow-up with their own GP or practice nurse, 3 needed further investigations, two patients did not wait to be seen and two were referred to be seen in secondary care (hospital based services). Most of those attending were local residents, with a smaller number of visitors.

The most common presentations were for infections and inflammation or for pain management, all of which are well within the capability of nurse practitioners.

During the pilot, the ongoing community pharmacy triage and treat scheme, which offers a minor injury assessment and treatment service from participating pharmacies, was also running.

Ms Paterson continued: “We have been working very closely with the local community and key stakeholders, via South East Pembrokeshire Community and Primary Care Service Development Group which includes members from South East Pembrokeshire Community Health Network (SEPCHN), Hywel Dda Community Health Council, social services, the third sector, GP Practice staff and the health board.

“Following the pilot, an option appraisal workshop was held with the group to consider six options for future development and investment in this area. It was unanimously agreed that the preferred option was development of a business case to support the establishment of a walk-in service at Tenby Cottage Resource Centre in collaboration with Tenby GP Practice.”

“We will now work hard to build that case, continuing our work with the community and GP practice, and looking at what the service needs in terms of provision, resourcing, staffing and other support,” she added.

SEPCHN chairman Mansel Thomas commented that the campaign group’s efforts over the past few years to see the services introduced at Tenby hospital have involved many people and groups, including Tenby Town Council, as well as other councils, political representatives and former MIU staff.

“There have been demonstrations, public meetings, meetings with Health Board managers and the Welsh Government Deputy Health Minister, letters in profusion and even television interviews, but in the end it has been the perseverance of the community which has won through,” he remarked.

“It all coincided with the appointment of new managers in the Health Board. The new chair, Mrs. Bernadine Rees, introduced a culture of more open discussion with the community which has brought about this result.

“Local health managers, especially Mrs. Sue Lewis, have taken up the challenge and produced a model which appears to fit the bill and huge thanks go to them for their diligence,” added Mr. Thomas.