Sir, The South East Pembrokeshire Community Health Network, and indeed most of the local community, has campaigned strongly for the retention of the Tenby Cottage Hospital Minor Injury Unit. Despite warnings, the Hywel Dda Health Board has blindly forged ahead with its closure proposals without consideration of an alternative, leaving this community with a below par injury service that in no way meets the community's needs. The warnings are now materialising. Over Easter, the area was extremely busy, with an estimated population of well over 30,000 and yet there was no local medical support from Thursday until Tuesday. One local elderly couple were forced to bind the wife's leg wound themselves until the GP surgery opened. A visitor with a wound and without transport was forced to seek help to get to Withybush A&E. The following week, a local lady fell, bumped her head and could not get a surgery appointment. Advised not to drive, she too was forced to look for help with transport to Withybush, as the local transport network is now inconvenient. These are the types of situations that the HB was warned to expect and yet it ignored. Without question, the local provision for minor injury support is now poorer under this Health Board than it has been for many years, probably poorer than since the Cottage Hospital was founded. This community cannot sit back and allow this to happen. The SEPCHN has contacted the First Minister and written to the Health Minister and Assembly Members highlighting these issues. As South East Pembrokeshire is a key retirement area, many elderly residents require particular support and so we have also written to the Older People Commissioner indicating the needs of much of our population and the current situation. The fact is that the HB has ignored the Health Minister's guidance which was to work with the Community Health Council on an alternative scheme. The CHC was clear in its view that the GP surgeries were to provide an alternative; ... 'walk in see and treat' facility for all registered patients and for all visitors and this to be additionally provided for the whole year, weekends and Bank Holidays included. Clearly there has been no such agreement with the GP practices, which have had their own problems of late, and yet the Implementation Board has gone ahead with the MIU closure without an alternative arrangement being in place. This cannot be right and has resulted in the present situation. The obvious solution to most people is to reopen the minor injury unit which is wasting away in its misuse. The next meeting of the SEPCHN is due to take place at 2 pm on Monday, June 23, at the New Hedges Village Hall. We hope a number of invited speakers will attend to update us on the situation and to explore more of the membership views on future action. There are other issues of note which will be discussed, such as an update on the Town Council's attempt to implement a MIU Judicial Review and the future of the Tenby Cottage Hospital, as well as the latest news on the Tenby GP Surgery. All are welcome to attend.

Mansel Thomas, Chairman, SEPCHN