LOCAL residents have attended a special community meeting to discuss Monnow Vale - Monmouth's new joint health and social care facility.

The modern health centre is due to open next month, with the establishment of a designated focus group at the meeting signalling the first stage in launching the development of it's key support services.

The specifics of the group's structure, organisation and scheduled meetings for the year are now being planned.

A spokesman for Gwent Healthcare Trust said: "The Focus Group has been established to capture and support the opportunities for the patients, service users, carers and the public to promote the vision of Wales' first such joint care centre.

"Local people were invited to become more involved at the public meeting to plan future activities. Very positive discussion took place and many ideas were highlighted for wide-ranging initiatives."

The session, billed in advance as 'A Hospital and More', met under the guidance of Anne Rowlings, the integrated services manager of Monmouth's existing General Hospital, who reported that the meeting, held at St Thomas Church Hall last week, had been well-attended.

She said: "It was a very constructive meeting that underlined the importance and value of having such a superb facility on the doorstep for people living in Monmouth. I am very confident that the Focus Group will play a vital role in developing valuable links for everyone connected with Monnow Vale.

"The care available there will be exactly the same as we provide at Monmouth Hospital in terms of dealing with minor injuries. We also expect a whole range of outpatients coming in.

"What we are planning to do now is to promote the new facility - as there are still a lot of people who do not know what the facility is."

She also confirmed that the existing Monmouth General Hospital, on Hereford Road, would be shutting down along with the Dixton Road clinic and the Overmonnow Day Centre. Exact closing dates are yet to be decided.

The focus group has been set up in partnership between Monmouthshire County Council and the Local Health Board.