Minor injuries unit closure sparks fury

Opening hours have been cut at the Leominster Community Hospital unit after health chiefs claimed on average only a dozen people used the facility outside regular hours each week. The new operating times of 8.30am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday, came into force this week.

Officials at Wye Valley NHS Trust say the move has been taken to ensure the safety of patients and staff at night, when just one or two members of staff would be on duty.

But Councillor Felicity Norman, who represents Leominster North, said patients and councillors had been given no notice of the changes and people must now travel to Hereford or Ludlow for treatment.

The community hospital treats injuries such as spr-ains, breaks and minor burns.

Protect

A statement released by Wye Valley NHS Trust said: "The decision by the trust to change the opening hours has been made to protect the clinical safety of patients attending the MIU and those in wards at the attached community hospitals and to protect the safety of staff who often have to treat patients alone at night.

"Currently staff members have to leave wards and work alone or in pairs when they treat patients at the units during the night. A review of the service has found that this places members of staff at risk, can leave the wards short of staff and has the potential to compromise the clinical safety of patients."

Councillor Norman said: "No-one knew about this until a day or two before the new hours came into force. It all happened very quickly with no attempt at consultation or a chance for people to have an input. We have lost a valued and important service. People I have spoken to are not happy at all.

"The staff won't speak out against it because there are jobs at stake but they aren't happy either – the unit is always really busy so I'm not sure where the trust has got its figures from."