Minor injuries unit closes due to lack of staff

The outside of a brick hospital, with cars parked and a blue Main Entrance sign.
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The NHS trust said it did not have enough staff to safely provide a seven-day-a-week service

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A minor injuries unit has temporarily closed in Cornwall due to staff shortages, health bosses have said.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has said Launceston Minor Injuries Unit would remain shut for the remainder of the summer.

The trust said it did not have enough staff to safely provide a seven-day-a-week service.

Debbie Gilbert, from Healthwatch Cornwall, said: "Any loss of service is detrimental for residents and to tourists."

Ms Gilbert said she hoped "other plans or provisions" were put in place.

The trust said it had recruited vacant posts, but new staff would need to complete their mandatory induction and training.

It said it had "explored a range of options to offer alternative services in the area" but it had not been successful.

The existing staff would be temporarily transferred to facilities in Stratton, Liskeard or Bodmin.

The unit was also temporarily closed in 2021 due to illness in the pandemic and in 2022, again due to staff shortages.

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