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The closure of an at-risk GP surgery in Newbridge has been confirmed.

At an Aneurin Bevan University Health Board meeting, held this week, chiefs heard the North Celynen Practice had requested to close down its branch site on Ashfield Road.

Leanne Watkins, the board’s chief operating officer, said the branch is currently open for one day a week.

The practice also provides healthcare from its main site in Crown Street, Crumlin.

According to a health board report, “the practice feels that by consolidating resources in the main site in Crumlin this would support the continued delivery of the full range of services to their registered population”.

The Newbridge site is set to close by December 1.

Existing services would be relocated to the Crumlin site, with no planned reduction in services, and all staff who currently work in the Newbridge branch would also relocate to Crumlin, the report added.

A recent patient consultation period drew low levels of engagement, with just seven patients attending two drop-in sessions to find out more information about the proposals.

The health board’s branch practice review panel “acknowledged the potential negative impact for a small number of patients who would be required to travel to Crumlin to attend the main site”.

They judged any disruption “would be minimal due to public transport links”, however.