The withdrawal of a blood service in Gower in three weeks' time should be reconsidered, an "extremely disappointed" councillor has said. Cllr Richard Lewis described the phlebotomy service at Pennard surgery as vital.
The surgery is run by Gower Medical Practice, whose main base is in Scurlage, but the phlebotomist who takes blood samples on a weekly basis at Pennard is employed by Swansea Bay University Health Board. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
The health board has set up a phlebotomy hub at Gorseinon Hospital and a temporary one at Central Clinic, Orchard Street, Swansea city centre - just under 10 and eight miles respectively from Pennard. A third hub is up and running at Port Talbot Resource Centre, with a fourth due in Neath.
Cllr Lewis said: "This isn't good enough and with many residents living in rural parts of Gower, some elderly and unable to drive, will now result in an hour round trip by car, or worse, people will have to depend on countless changes on unreliable bus services. This seriously needs to be reconsidered by the health board."
An email from Gower Medical Practice, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said the health board was removing the phlebotomy service as of March 31. It said the practice had expressed its disappointment and concern.
A health board spokesman said the establishment of four community phlebotomy hubs for non-urgent blood tests was part of a wider reconfiguring of its services. "Running services from central locations/hubs allows us to offer more appointments and bleed more people, quicker, than if we were running services in disparate GP surgeries in multiple locations," he said.
"Consideration has been given to operating out of GP surgeries and in more locations across the Swansea Bay area, but staffing constraints mean the health board believes that four hubs are optimal to ensuring a sustainable solution going forward, providing a balance of improved access, guaranteed service delivery and the ability to see large volumes of patients in central locations."
The health board has undertaken a phlebotomy patient survey, the results of which will be discussed with the region's patient watchdog, Swansea Bay Community Health Council.
Meanwhile, Pennard councillor Lynda James said she was aware of the forthcoming removal of the service but hadn't received any complaints.
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