Ross and Leominster Minor Injury Units to close temporarily

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Over the course of the last week emergency departments across the region have experienced increasing pressures. Wye Valley NHS Trust’s Emergency Department at Hereford County Hospital has been no exception.

The Trust’s main concern is the safety of its patients with acute and emergency conditions ensuring that they are assessed, diagnosed and treated rapidly

In light of this, the Trust has taken the decision to close the Minor Injury Units at Ross and Leominster community hospitals throughout December, allowing it to redeploy experienced emergency nurse practitioners to provide enhanced support where it is clinically most needed – in the Emergency Department at Hereford County Hospital.

Lucy Flanagan, director of nursing, said: “The safety and welfare of our patients is our priority. This has been a difficult decision to make, but we have a duty to ensure we provide safe clinical care for our most vulnerable patients.”

The temporary closure will begin tomorrow, Thursday November 30.

The Trust is advising that there are a number of alternatives local people can use instead of their local MIU. This includes seeking advice from their community pharmacy and for urgent medical help that is not life threatening, the public can call NHS 111 – this is also the easiest way to access the GP out-of-hours service.

Jon Barnes, Chief operating officer at Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: "We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this temporary closure may cause.

“We would also like to reassure the public that this decision was not taken lightly.”

Posters will be displayed at the community hospitals to direct the public to the other NHS facilities in Herefordshire as well as the Emergency Department at Hereford County Hospital where appropriate.

The decision to temporarily close the MIUs will not affect other activities at the community hospitals – all other services at Ross-on-Wye and Leominster Community Hospitals will continue to operate as usual.

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