A Saundersfoot county councillor has criticised the village’s Medical Centre for what he has labelled a ‘misleading’ social media post that suggests that new local housing developments are putting extra strain on services at the surgery.

Cllr Chris Williams explained that part of the Medical Centre’s recent statement (which in the main related to a zero tolerance approch to abuse from patients, mainly in connection with the dispensary closing), included content that caused him particular concern, namely the line: ‘Alongside an increasing list size due to property developments locally with no consideration for provision of healthcare needs of the population’

“Following this, I contacted the Practice Manager and referred to our previous meetings, in which it was consistently stated that the surgery has the capacity to take on an additional 2,000 patients and that this still remains the case today,” stated Cllr Williams.

“I asked whether I may have misunderstood this position. As it stands, the statement in the post may be viewed as misleading, particularly given the widely acknowledged and long-standing need for appropriate housing in Saundersfoot.

“I must express my disappointment in both the content and tone of the communication and the lack of knowledge of the current situation. I had previously voiced concerns that such messaging could confuse or mislead residents and, regrettably, that has now materialised.

“The post casts doubt on local housing efforts and undermines the work of both current and former County and Community Councillors who have consistently supported responsible and sustainable development in the village.

“Saundersfoot has faced a significant shortage of affordable and social housing for decades. The two new proposed housing developments, set to be the first in nearly 25 years, are intended to help reverse the decline in school enrolment, support local families, and enable residents to remain in the village.

“It is important to clarify that these homes have not yet been built, and as such, they cannot be contributing to any current strain on health services.

“To be clear: for the past three years, Saundersfoot Medical Centre has stated that it has the capacity to accommodate an additional 2,000 patients. This directly contradicts the implication that new housing is overwhelming local healthcare provision.

“In fact, of the 120 new homes planned for Saundersfoot over the next three years, only one is currently occupied, and they have moved from another property in Saundersfoot. This further underscores the inaccuracy of attributing current service issues to housing development.

“Furthermore, I believe the medical centre’s post has unfairly shifted attention away from internal operational challenges. While it is true that residents have encountered difficulties accessing appointments, these are largely due to ongoing staffing pressures and limitations with the current telephone system, not housing growth.”

Cllr Williams said that it was also worth noting that the Medical Centre did not participate in the Local Development Plan 2 consultation process.

“If there is now concern about pressure from future development, the decision not to engage in that process must be acknowledged as a significant oversight,” he added.