CHEPSTOW residents have branded the uncertainty over the town's hospital 'short-sightedness' after Chepstow Town Council revealed they had not been offered any assurances as to its future beyond 2025.

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.

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

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

Reacting to the news, Chepstow residents pointed to the expansion of the town and ease of access as reasons to maintain the provision of a hospital within the town.

Dorothy Jeffery said: "Not everyone has the use of a car, especially during the day.

"How are they supposed to get to Newport if they need to be seen?"

Deborah Walker agreed that having such a service near at hand was beneficial to the town.

She said: "Its a vital local service.

"Reinstatement of the minor injuries unit would be a very good move - patients currently have to travel to Newport or Lydney, neither of which are particularly viable if you do not have your own vehicle or someone who can drive you.

"Adding a mental health service at the hospital would also be a valuable service to the community.

"The provision of community healthcare should be tied up with local area transport planning."

She said that Chepstow's population was growing and the ability to source services locally would help to reduce the number of longer journeys having to be made.

Nancy Mitchell said: "It's so needed.

"Minor injuries, clinics, x-rays. There is so much it could be utilised for.

"Its not that easy to keep travelling to Newport and Cwmbran

Tegwen Duffield branded the move to close the MIU at Chepstow's hospital a cash grab.

She said: "More short-sightedness in Monmouthshire.

"Close special needs provision, close the hospitals, get some cash.

"People from this area, the elderly in particular, long to be transferred from Newport hospital to Chepstow."

Claims have also been made that the hospital has never been utilised efficiently enough.

John Blackwell said that he believed "thousands more" people could be reached if the site's potential was maximised.

Hilary Powell agreed, saying: "The potential of this hospital has never been fulfilled since it's completion.

"The old Chepstow and District hospital was a proper hospital, why can't this one?"

Others pointed to the new houses being built at the bottom end of the town - and in Tutshill - and the subsequent increase in demand this would create for the community hospital.

Drew Wilson said: "With the extra housing being built it needs to have a minor injuries unit.

"Chepstow's infrastructure needs building up, not down."

Guy Greening said: "With all the building going on in and around Chepstow, it is becoming a large (and congested) town and is in desperate need of local medical services."

Teresa Sims said the hospital's remit went far beyond minor injuries.

"This is used not only for doctors surgery but for many services such as physio, occupational therapy and various out patients clinics to name but a few," she said.

"It was a blow to this town when the minor injury unit was closed.

"Whoever it is in authority go away and stop taking our medical clinics away."