EVESHAM’s Minor Injuries Unit has been closed for the next six weeks as health chiefs seek to boost staff numbers in community hospitals.
Malvern, Evesham and Tenbury’s Minor Injury Units will temporarily close from until the end of February, although bosses have committed to a regular review of the move.
During this time staff in the units will be redeployed into Community Hospitals which are experiencing higher than normal demands.
The decision has been agreed by the local health and care system to increase staffing capacity in community hospitals, which is part of measures in response to pressures being felt across the local healthcare system.
Phil Shakeshaft, MIU Lead for Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “Our MIUs remain a key part of our urgent care system and the three Units will re-open as soon as we can, but it is important that we use our staff in the areas they are needed most at the moment.
“MIU staff are trained and qualified nurses and they will be able to use their skills within our community hospitals caring for poorlier patients so they can recover and return home as soon as possible.”
The MIUs at Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre and at the Princess of Wales Community Hospital in Bromsgrove are unaffected and will remain open as normal. The MIU in Kidderminster is open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, and the Unit in Bromsgrove is open Monday to Friday 8am until 8pm and from 12pm until 8pm on weekends.
MIUs support people with minor injuries such as sprains, strains, small cuts and burns and are not for emergency or life threatening conditions.
Visit www.hacw.nhs.uk/MIU for more or ring NHS 111 for further advice.
