A&E could move to the new hospital site at Overdale

Islanders would have to go to Overdale for emergency treatment between 21:00 and 09:00 BST

The government is considering closing the current accident and emergency (A&E) department from 21:00 BST each night.

Under new hospital plans, the government said an emergency department would remain at the old hospital building on Parade Road, opening at 09:00 and closing at 21:00 BST.

This means islanders would have to go to Overdale for emergency treatment between 21:00 and 09:00 BST.

The government is still looking at how A&E will be staffed and run once the new hospital has been built.

Healthcare boss Michelle West told a public hearing that they were still deciding how to make it work.

She said: "That's not set in tablets of stone because we have got more work that we need to do.

"But when the last patient leaves at nine, the department would close and any activity that couldn't wait until the morning - of which the numbers drop off as the evening goes on - they would go to the emergency department and they would be cared for there."