CHEPSTOW Town Council have called for an independent review of the primary healthcare provision and questioned the closure of the minor injuries unit (MIU) at the town's hospital.

At its Annual Meeting, on Wednesday, May 26, the council passed a resolution requesting the Welsh Government's health minister Eluned Morgan to conduct an independent review of primary healthcare services available in the catchment area of Chepstow Community Hospital.

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Tom Kirton, town mayor, said: “Not counting any temporary arrangements due to the Covid-19 emergency, services offered at the community hospital, have progressively been transferred to other hospitals between 19 miles and more than 30 miles away.

"For example, the 84 beds at the community hospital have now been reduced to 54.

"In 2011 the board, without consultation, closed the MIU at the Community Hospital, in spite of significant objections from residents, Monmouthshire County Council and Chepstow Town Council.”

Mr Kirton questioned whether alternative approaches to maintaining training of staff or utilising and developing other skills they possessed had been considered.

"In Chepstow there is an increasing number of older people, who need to rely on public transport, together with the increased new build attracting a growing number of young families," he said.

"Both these groups are the main users of primary care services and it is unreasonable to expect them to travel far for treatment that may only take less than an hour.”

The Community Hospital was opened in 2000 having been developed under the Government's Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

Chepstow Town Council have said that they have had no assurances as to the hospital's future after 2025.