Upset over opening times at minor injuries unit

The minor injuries unit in Newquay has reduced its opening times

Residents and health campaigners have criticised a decision to cut the opening times for a minor injuries unit (MIU) in Newquay, ahead of the summer season.

Since March, the facility has been restricted to opening from 08:00 to 20:00 on Friday to Tuesdays, instead of seven days a week as it was previously.

Resident Phillipa Mitchell called the decision "ludicrous".

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) said the "temporary change" was made to “support our staff and ensure safe patient care”.

Ms Mitchell said: “Newquay is a huge community, new houses are being built all the time, and not only that we have a big tourist season coming up.

"To cut the hours down [of the MIU] during the main peak season is ludicrous."

'Really important'

Visit Cornwall estimates that Newquay’s resident population of about 25,000 doubles in the summer holidays.

Newquay’s mayor Drew Creek said the timing of the reduced hours was problematic.

The Green Party councillor said: “Having a minor injury unit provision in Newquay is really important for all of those visitors, but also for the residents.

"Otherwise they would have to go to other parts of the healthcare system like Treliske [Royal Cornwall Hospital] in Truro”.

'Tragic'

Cornish health campaigner Marna Blundy said: “It’s particularly galling when we know that they [the NHS] are calling for place-based care, so that people don’t have to travel too far to get care.

"So for this to happen is the absolute opposite of what we’re trying to achieve, in that people don’t have to travel long distances to access healthcare.

"So it’s tragic really.”

CPFT said the reduction in hours was due to staffing due to vacancies and staff sickness.

In a statement the trust said: "In line with our operating policies, opening hours remain under constant review and we allocate resources across the county in order to keep our busiest units open and safely able to treat as many people as possible.

"Recently recruited staff for Newquay Minor Injury Unit are currently undergoing the necessary clinical training, which takes 12 months to complete."

A spokesperson for the Conservative Party said "Since 2010, we have invested more in the NHS than at any other point in its history.

"We will continue to increase NHS spending above inflation in each year of the next Parliament."

A Labour Party spokesperson said: "The last Labour government reduced waiting times by using the private sector, increasing staff numbers and spreading good practice.

"To end the threat of a two-tier health system, we will use spare capacity in the independent sector to ensure patients are treated quicker."

The Liberal Democrats said: "We will give everyone the right to see a GP within seven days, as well as free personal care for older or disabled people at home.

The party said its proposals would be funded by reversing tax cuts for banks and closing tax loopholes exploited by the wealthiest individuals.