Lesley Griffiths MS Member of the Senedd for Wrexham

Regular readers of my column will be aware I meet frequently with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) representatives, enabling me to raise any local issues and ensure the authorities are aware of patients’ day-to-day experiences.

Having met the North Wales Health Board’s new Associate Director of Primary Care back in November, I arranged a follow-up meeting to further discuss local GP services.

The improvement programme at the three managed practices in Wrexham (Hillcrest Medical Centre, Borras Park Surgery and Beechley Road Surgery) which began at the beginning of October is continuing.

Health Inspectorate Wales recently visited Hillcrest and the result of the inspection was good. At the present time, Hillcrest has no agency workers and a new salaried, full-time GP started there at the beginning of February. The new GP is a Dermatology specialist and will also take on Dermatology cases from the other two managed practices.

An internal audit was recently carried out at Strathmore Medical Practice and I will be advised of the outcome of this in due course. Unfortunately, constituents have recently highlighted issues at St George’s Surgery. I raised these concerns with the Associate Director and she will visit the practice herself to look at these in more detail. In the meantime, the Health Board is liaising with the GPs at the practice to try to resolve the issues raised.

The Health Board Panel will also be looking at Alyn Family Doctors’ request to close

Gresford Surgery. I will continue to monitor the situation and keep constituents updated.

British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru is Wales’ leading heart charity. Around 340,000 people in Wales are living with the daily burden of heart and circulatory disease and the charity helps fund life-saving research to improve diagnosis, treatment and to ultimately help save lives.

I recently visited Wrexham’s BHF store on Egerton Street to meet the management team and volunteers who donate their time to help the daily running of the shop. There is a real community spirit at the busy shop and it was good to find out more about their work and general fundraising challenges. All the purchases in Wrexham are helping support world-leading medical research, which is happening right here in Wales’ universities.

Volunteering at your local British Heart Foundation offers an opportunity to learn new life skills and gain valuable experiences. To find out more, visit www.bhf.org.uk

If you’re a constituent in Wrexham and there is an issue I could help you with, please do not hesitate to contact me.