NEW staff will be joining a health facility in Aberystwyth in the new year, Hywel Dda Health Board has said, after fears were raised over services being move to Carmarthen.

Concerns over the future of services at the North Road Eye Clinic have been raised several times over the past year amid concerns over staffing levels.

Earlier this year, Hywel Dda’s Ceredigion county director Peter Skitt labelled the facility “not fit for purpose” and confirmed that options are being drawn up for the future of services at North Road.

The clinic currently houses opthamology services, as well as a sexual health clinic and dental clinics.

A source told the Cambrian News this week that there was a “real danger” the clinic could close “in the near future”, after it suffered a “serious decline” due to poor staffing levels.

Fears were heightened after it was announced that the clinic’s single consultant was due to leave in April - but the Health Board has insisted the role will be filled, as well as extra staff arriving in January.

The board said it has “no plans” to move services away from the facility.

Joe Teape, director of operations and deputy chief executive of Hywel Dda, told the Cambrian News: “North Road Eye Clinic is currently staffed by a consultant ophthalmologist who is due to leave in April.

“To support the team the health board is currently recruiting for three substantive ophthalmology consultants and as an extra precaution we are also recruiting two NHS locum ophthalmology consultants in Ceredigion."

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