‘Don’t worry, GP surgery is safe’

Patients reassured after doctors move on:

A SURGERY in Mountain Ash is losing two valued GPs this month.

But the local health board has assured they are being replaced and there is “no threat” of it closing.

Cwm Taf University Health Board has confirmed that two GPs are leaving the Hillcrest Medical Centre in Pryce Street this month, but two GPs will replace them – also this month.

Mountain Ash East councillor Pauline Jarman said she contacted health board chairman Dr Chris Jones, who gave reassurances that the centre would remain open after Dr Heena Singhal and Dr Michael La depart.

And a spokeswoman for Cwm Taf Health Board told us: “The practice is a managed practice and there are two GPs leaving in January.

“But two GPs will replace them in January, too. Therefore there is no threat to the surgery and no change to any service there.”

Coun Jarman said she was relieved by that out- come – though the two departing GPs will be missed by the local community.

She said: “I am very relieved that Hillcrest Medical Centre will remain open but I know Dr Singhal and Dr La will be sorely missed by the patients.

“When I heard that both GPs were leaving I had visions of Hillcrest clos- ing because of a shortage of GPs.

“I am so pleased that the patients of Hillcrest have been spared that experience and that their continuity of care at Hillcrest has been guaranteed.”

In recent times, there have been concerns about a shortage of GP services in the Cynon Valley town.

The Cynon Vale Medi- cal Practice in Cardiff Road has been operating from “temporary” portable cabins since October 2015, and gained permission to extend that for a further year in October.

The problem came when the Cardiff Road Surgery merged with Miskin Surgery in 2014, resulting in a combined list of 4,500 patients at Cynon Vale Medical Practice.