DWYFOR Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts visited Abersoch this week, when a pharmacy reached out to say the lack of fast, reliable broadband in the area was having an adverse effect on their work.

H H Parry Pharmacy in Abersoch, who say they have been forced to buy an additional 4G network router to boost their broadband connection and to maintain access to the NHS cloud intranet system, say their situation has been further aggravated by a lack of clarity from Openreach, who have failed to provide a say when network improvements will be made.

Arfon Bebb said: “Since we acquired the pharmacy last April we have experienced very poor broadband service often with download speeds of less than 1mbps. This created problems for our IT systems including accepting card payments and stock ordering, but worse than that, for our dispensing and clinical systems.

“We have had to invest in a 4G router to support the fixed broadband required to access NHS intranet systems. We depend on fast and reliable connection to the internet to provide pharmaceutical services to our community.

“Frustratingly, we currently have no choice but to pay twice to connect to the internet.”

Mrs Saville Roberts said: “The problem experienced by Fferyllfa H H Parry Abersoch is synonymous with countless other cases I’m dealing with.

“What makes this case more pressing is the impact poor connectivity is having on health service providers’ ability to meet the needs of their patients. They shouldn’t have to use their own money to pay extra to improve a service they’re already paying for.

“Abersoch is consistently ranked amongst the worst in the UK for access to superfast broadband, yet it faces the same basic health demands as other, more populated communities. Poor network connectivity should not dictate health providers’ ability to do their job.

“Homeowners and businesses in my rural constituency have the same rights to fast, reliable broadband as those living in more populated, urban areas, where the pace of superfast roll-out is greater. Yet the disparity in service is stark.”

A spokesperson for Openreach said: “No other provider is doing more than Openreach to build fibre broadband across Dwyfor and Meirionydd and we’re pleased to confirm, as part of our work with Welsh Government, that we will be building full fibre broadband to Abersoch.

“We enjoyed a productive meeting with Liz Saville Roberts MP last week to discuss some of the concerns that’s she’s raised recently and look forward to receiving the individual details as promised so that we can investigate further.”

They added that nearly 90 per cent of Gwynedd can place an order for superfast broadband but realise there’s more to do.

“That’s why we’re investing £12 billion of our own money to bring full fibre to both urban and rural parts of Wales as part of our ‘full fibre build’ programme and also working with Welsh Government to try and reach those areas that missed out during previous build plans.”