Under pressure GP surgeries in Pembrokeshire have made some new appointments but trouble could be brewing at other centres.

Community and primary care manager at Hywel Dda health board Sonia Hay updated the community health council (CHC) on GP service provision on Wednesday (November 7).

She said that there had been “recruitment successes” in the past year including in Fishguard and St Davids, as well as practice adaptations such as “what may have been a GP vacancy a few years ago may now be advertised for Advanced Practice Roles.”

While the situation has improved in Fishguard and Goodwick with the “amalgamation” of the two practices, there are risks at Milford Haven’s Robert Street Surgery and Newport and Crymych.

Members were told that Robert Street, which shares a building with Barlow House Surgery, had applied to the health board to close its list as it is having issues covering maternity leave.

Mrs Hay added that at Newport and Crymych one GP had resigned and three others were nearing retirement age so “proactive work” was being done to continue the service.

There are currently 38.3 full time equivalent GPs working in Pembrokeshire plus locums in managed practices the CHC heard, and 34 part time and 1.5 vacancies identified by practices, although final figures are pending from two.

Mrs Hay said that the transfer of patients from Argyle to Neyland and Johnston practice had been carried out and the practice would be moving into the St Clements building.

At the health board managed practice in Tenby there was still a reliance of locums she added. but there was an improved constituency as well as a better working relationship with the Tenby Walk in Centre and Narberth surgery.