'For the sick or hurt this journey is a nightmare'

Neighbours Pamela Wood and Sue Bowdery

Neighbours Pamela Wood and Sue Bowdery are on the number 16 bus – heading from Leek to Hanley – and it's a packed single-decker.

Minute by minute, another Staffordshire Moorlands village passes by their steamed up window, on their 12-mile test run.

They're travelling from their homes to Haywood Hospital's NHS walk-in centre - a route they hope they won't need to take, as it's one with two buses and a projected journey time of two hours.

They want to show health commissioners that any downgrading of services at Leek Moorlands Hospital will prevent many families and older people getting care further afield, considering the regularity of bus journeys.

NHS commissioners have told the BBC no immediate changes are planned, but this assurance doesn't sit well with some.

"Preserving Leek's Minor Injury Unit is so important, to older people who find transport difficult and to people who have not got the wherewithal to pay for the bus fare even never mind the taxi," said Ms Wood, a retired nurse.

"It's as if health commissioners are trying to confuse us all the time. One minute we hear the unit will stay, the next we are doubting it very much.

"They're just pulling the wool over our eyes in my opinion – all the time".

The NHS has said no final decisions have yet been made

Officials have proposed to turn Staffordshire's MIUs into urgent treatment centres (UTCs) as part of a national plan to ease pressure on A&E services.

Last year, they said the MIU at Leek Moorlands Hospital and the Cannock Chase Hospital MIU did not meet the criteria, sparking community concern.

Charlotte Atkins, a former MP and now a Staffordshire Moorlands District councillor, says services in Leek should be bolstered, not removed or relocated.

"We need a restoration to a 12-hour local service, just like it used to be. It's vital that we have X-ray facilities throughout and the opening hours should go back to the original times of 08:00 GMT-20:00," she said.

The unit is currently advertised as 09:00-17:00 and is nurse-led, providing treatment for minor injuries such as rashes, ear infections, sprains and suspected broken limbs.

Councillor Charlotte Atkins believes the service should be better supported

The NHS has said no final decisions have yet been made but for now, the MIU at Leek Hospital will continue to operate as it is.

Speaking to BBC Radio Stoke, Tracey Shewan, from the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board, said: "Anything we look at in terms of our services, we always look at what the transport is, be it public transport or cars.

"We also look at how far visitors would have to travel. There are no plans for us at the moment to make any changes…we've talked to the public who have told us about the services they want and feel they need."

'Struggle to get home'

The Save Leek Hospital group say they need answers quickly but we've been told the restructuring plans are unlikely to be finalised until later this year.

Under the plans, Haywood Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent could have the closest urgent treatment centre to Leek.

"It's potentially a nightmare making this journey by public transport, especially if you're unwell or injured" says Mrs Bowdery.

"Then you factor in the wait time for assessment, which today is over three hours according to the NHS app".

"The reality is – with the availability of public transport timetable - you'd be struggling to get back to Leek on the same day."