Dyfi Valley Health, the provider of GP Primary Care Services for around 7,000 people in north west Powys and surrounding areas, has faced a number of challenges in maintaining safe and sustainable local services. Last year they submitted a formal application to Powys Teaching Health Board to merge their services onto their Forge Road premises in Machynlleth and close their premises at Cemmaes Road. Following a period of consultation, the Cemmaes Road premises closed on 31 July 2019.

Following patient feedback, in August 2019 a pilot Prescription Collection Service was trialled to help those patients who wished to continue collecting their prescriptions from Cemmaes Road.

This trial initiative, which was supported by Powys Teaching Health Board, was initially scheduled to run for three months until the 31st October 2019.

A review of the service has taken place monthly, and due to the lack of uptake for the Service (27 sign-ups of which 12 used it once and four used it twice), a decision has been made by Dyfi Valley Health and Powys Teaching Health Board to discontinue the Prescription Collection Service on the 31st December 2019.

Dyfi Valley Health is continually assessing how to improve. This includes expanding the range of services available through telephone triage and the secure My Health Online service which will allow you to book repeat prescriptions, see your basic medical records and view your details. The practice also has plans to introduce new digital ways to book appointments.

Dyfi Valley Health looks forward to working closely with the Powys Teaching Health Board, as well as patient groups to ensure that the primary care service within the Dyfi Valley continues to deliver a first-class experience for its patients.

If any effected patients continue to have any on-going collection issues, please feel free to contact Dyfi Valley Health Dispensary or Powys Teaching Health Board by 31 January 2020.