COUNCILLORS have called for a meeting with Gwent health chiefs amid concerns that primary care in Blaenau Gwent is a ‘mess’ with patients struggling to see a GP in Brynmawr.

Councillors heard that approintments were difficult to find at medical practices in Brynmawr and Tredegar managed by a Leicestershire based firm, eHarley Street primary care solutions.

The concerns were raised as councillors received the annual report and area plan for health and wellbeing from the Gwent Regional Partnership Board (RPB) where Cllr Sonia Behr described primary care as being ‘in a mess at the moment locally’.

“Surgeries are grouped together and managed by a team based in England with very little communication’ said Cllr Behr who also claimed there had been financial issues with the surgeries which saw GPs not paid and subsequently refusing to work.

Cllr Behr said that for the last three days people have not been able to book an appointment at her surgery in Brynmawr because ‘they don’t have any doctors’.

Head of the Gwent regional partnership team, Natasha Harris who had presented the annual report said that the RPB is not directly involved in the work of GPs but added she would would investigate.

Interim director of social services Alyson Hoskins said that she would be happy to take it up with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABHB) and arrange a meeting.

Deputy council leader Labour’s Cllr Helen Cunningham suggested that the council leader Cllr Steve Thomas and the chief executive Steve Vickers should write urgently to the health board to flag up the issues and the level of concern about this.

Opposition Independent group leader, Cllr Wayne Hodgins said: “We are seeing significant problems in Brynmawr.”

He added that talks with the health board over these issues had already taken place but did not seem to be “hitting the right notes.”

Cllr Gardner said that another meeting with the health board had been arranged for January, but believed it needed to take place earlier than that.

Cllr Garnder said: “This issue will have an impact on social services and all other care areas in the borough.

“It needs to be addressed as soon as possible.”

Council leader, Cllr Steve Thomas (Labour) agreed that he would bring the issues up with health chiefs.

Following the meeting a heath board spokesperson said: “The health board does not hold any general medicalsServices (GMS) contracts with e-Harley Street Primary Care Solutions.

“All GMS contracts within Aneurin Bevan University Health Board are held with named individual GPs.

“We are aware of concerns related to a GP partnership within the health board region and are meeting regularly with the GP Partners to ensure they are operating in line with their contractual obligations.

“We acknowledge the high demand for primary care services across the country, and this is also experienced here in Gwent.

“We are committed to working with and supporting our GP partnerships to provide sustainable and reliable services for our population.”

eHarley Street has been contacted for a comment.