A COMMUNITY hospital which has seen its dementia ward and minor injuries unit close in recent years could be boosted by more outpatient services.

Chepstow Community Hospital could benefit from Aneurin Bevan University Health Board plans to provide more care closer to home.

A meeting of Monmouthshire County Council’s Lower Wye area committee last week was told that a potential shake up in services could improve the situation for outpatients over missed appointments and parking problems when visiting Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital.

Health board spokeswoman, Melanie Laidler, said: “Chepstow Community Hospital is designated to become a multi-disciplinary hub where local residents can receive the regular care they need in one place, without having to travel further afield.

“Outpatient clinics that are already up and running at the hospital include care for older adults, warfarin checks and audiology services.

“These have all been successful and received positive patient feedback. Therefore the health board is planning to further develop these services within the hospital.

“Within the next six months, the health board is also planning to launch a deep vein thrombosis service from the hospital.

“The health board is delighted to be developing these services within the Monmouthshire area and Chepstow Community Hospital continues to play a pivotal role in the delivery of services across the health board area.”

But there was scepticism from some at the meeting, with ex-Chepstow town councillor, Stephanie Dovey, saying “years of promises” had not come to fruition.

“As far as I am concerned that hospital at the moment is no more than a glorified doctor’s surgery,” she said.

Monmouthshire county and Chepstow town councillor Jez Becker said the “U-turn” looked “positive”, but only time would tell whether the delivery matched the promises.

Ms Laidler said she hadn’t attended the metting “to talk idle promises” and the plans represented “an exciting opportunity” to develop an integrated service at the hospital.

Monmouthshire councillors were due to discuss the proposals this week.