Healthy Prestatyn Iach (HPI) has launched a formal engagement process as it looks to cut its boundary due to “challenges in maintaining efficient and sustainable services.”
The engagement process is running until Friday, July 3, with a decision expected in just a month’s time on the significant proposal – by the end of July 2026.
If changes are agreed, they will be rolled out between January and March 2027.
Bringing up the consultation with Rhun ap Iorwerth in the Senedd, Clwyd MS Louise Emery said: “Healthy Prestatyn Iach was created in 2016 as a flagship response to the collapse of GP services in North Denbighshire. Three practices terminated their contracts in a single year because they could not recruit enough doctors.
“A decade on, patients still report that accessing primary care there is difficult and stressful, and now the practice is consulting on reducing its boundary, which would see patients – including some of the most vulnerable in the community with high levels of deprivation – transferred to neighbouring practices, whose own capacity to absorb them is unclear.
“The consultation period for patients is just three weeks.
“First Minister, what discussions have you had to ensure that no boundary changes will be approved unless there is clear evidence that receiving practices have sufficient capacity to maintain standards of access and care, and that the consultation is meaningful and not just a rubber stamping exercise?”
Red outline is the current boundary and the blue outline is proposed new boundary that Healthy Prestatyn Iach (HPI) will serve. (Image: Submitted)
Mr ap Iorwerth replied: “Boundary changes issue in and of itself is something that will be looked at by the Cabinet Minister of Health and Care. That is a very specific issue. There are areas that the member referred to that I very much agree with — the lack of a GP workforce in some areas being a particular issue, and where you have areas of deprivation, that being a barrier in itself to our healthcare.
“Our manifesto and first 100 days commitments make clear that strengthening GP services are central to improving access, wherever that may be, regardless of what boundary changes might have been put in place, and the hundred additional GPs, which is a significant increase across Wales I believe can make a real difference to access to care in primary care.
“I remind members this week, this Government is fulfilling a pledge to convene a primary care summit, which will be an opportunity to look at these very issues.”
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HPI is one of the largest GP practices in North Wales in terms of both the geographical area it covers and the number of patients it serves. The practice was formed 10 years ago through the merger of three separate GP practices and is managed by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).
If a change to the boundary is approved, patients who currently live outside the new boundary would have their care transferred to a GP practice whose services cover their address.
A letter to patients from Joe Lunn, Senior Practice Manager at Healthy Prestatyn Iach, said: “We are writing to seek your views on proposed changes to the practice boundary for your GP Practice, Healthy Prestatyn Iach (HPI). We are currently undertaking a period of engagement to seek the views of patients, staff, local communities and stakeholders to inform the proposals.
“The purpose of these proposed changes is to support the long-term sustainability of GP services across North Denbighshire.
“The proposals aim to ensure that: GP practice capacity is better aligned to local population needs; patients continue to receive safe, high-quality and accessible care; healthcare resources are used effectively and fairly across the area; and local GP services remain sustainable for the future.”
The letter added: “We recognise that changes to GP registration can be unsettling, and we want to reassure you that individual circumstances and patient needs will be carefully considered throughout the process.”
HPI said their overall objective – in proposing the boundary change – is to help ensure GP services remain “safe, sustainable and accessible” for the long term.
Drop-in sessions and engagement events will be held where patients can learn more and ask questions about the proposals.
Queries and comments can also be emailed to bcu.denbighshireprimarycare@wales.nhs.uk, and patients can telephone 03000 851860. The phone line will be staffed between 10am and 2pm Monday to Friday. Outside these hours, patients will be able to leave a voicemail message. Feedback on the proposals should be submitted before Friday, July 3 2026.
Some GP surgeries have spoken out in support of the proposals.
Park House Surgery – serving patients across Prestatyn, Rhyl, Meliden, Gronant and Ffynnongroyw – said: “The Practice is aware of the proposals by our neighbouring practice, Healthy Prestatyn Iach (HPI), to change its boundary (the geographical area it serves). If the proposals go ahead, some current HPI patients could be transferred to our practice for their ongoing care.
“We have been fully involved in the discussions about the proposed changes and we are supportive. We see an opportunity to grow our patient numbers, which could enable more investment in staff and in the services we are able to offer.”
Clarence Medical Centre in Rhyl echoed the same statement.
Darren Millar, Clwyd MS, said: “I am seeking a meeting with the Health Board to discuss this issue.
“Other local GPs are already struggling to meet the needs of local patients. We must not allow the health board to shift problems around.
“We need a long term plan to increase the capacity of local primary care services.”
A decision on the boundary change is expected to be taken in just a month’s time – the end of July 2026.