Fears town's minor injuries unit could shut

Karen Bradley said the minor injuries unit in Leek was very important to the town

People in Leek say they fear their local hospital's minor injuries unit (MIU) could be closed in the future as it is not part of NHS bosses' plans to overhaul urgent care.

Health officials propose turning some of Staffordshire's MIUs into urgent treatment centres (UTCs) as part of a plan to ease pressure on A&E units in the county.

But the unit at Leek Moorlands Community Hospital would not be one of them, although an NHS spokesperson said no final decisions had yet been made.

The nearest urgent treatment centre to Leek would be in Stoke-on-Trent, about 12 miles (19km) away.

At a meeting to discuss the plans, several residents said they feared for the future of Leek's MIU.

"I think the minor injuries unit at Leek is very, very important," Karen Bradley, from the town, said.

She added it would be a "crying shame" if the MIU was not open in the future and that she felt like a decision to shut it had already been taken.

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) is considering turning three existing MIUs in Stoke-on-Trent, Lichfield and Tamworth into UTCs.

But they said Leek's did "not meet the essential criteria" for becoming one.

The omission of the town's MIU from the plan left Pam Wood, a founder of the Save Leek Hospital group, certain it would shut in the future.

"There was no mention of a minor injuries department at Leek Moorlands Hospital and by that I conclude yes, they are going to decide to close the hospital's minor injuries unit," she said.

Under the NHS plans, the minor injuries unit at Leek Moorlands Hospital would not become an urgent treatment centre

Another resident, John Emery, said he also believed from Thursday's meeting that the hospital would lose its MIU.

"Staffordshire Moorlands is twice the size of Stoke-on-Trent and we'll have no facilities for minor injuries," he said.

The ICB said the UTCs would reduce the burden on emergency departments and still treat minor illnesses and injuries.

It said patients would see improvements compared with the existing MIUs.

The new units would have X-ray facilities and deal with suspected broken bones, minor burns, minor head and eye injuries, cuts, fevers and similar conditions.

"Urgent care is care which is needed that day, but isn’t an emergency which threatens life or limb," Dr Steve Fawcett, from the board, said.

"The development of UTCs will help make sure patients get seen in the right place at the right time."

Labour councillor Charlotte Atkins said the nearest urgent treatment centre in the proposals for people in Leek would be too far away in Stoke-on-Trent

The MIU at Leek Moorlands did not meet the proposed standards for urgent treatment centres due to issues including access for ambulances and X-ray facilities, the board said.

Labour councillor and former MP, Charlotte Atkins said it was unreasonable to expect elderly and disabled patients to travel that far for healthcare.

A consultation on the plans ended on Sunday.