Cannock's minor injuries unit 'could reopen in June'

The minor injuries unit, which is based at Cannock Chase Hospital, closed in March 2020

A minor injuries unit (MIU) could reopen this summer after being closed since the start of the pandemic.

The unit, based at Cannock Chase Hospital, shut in March 2020 so staff could be used for urgent care at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital.

The MIU has remained closed despite more than 3,000 people signing a petition calling for it to reopen.

Health service commissioners said they wanted to reopen it in June.

Staffordshire county councillors were told the date this week by Marcus Warnes, accountable officer for Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups.

They are fully committed to reopening the MIU and want it up and running in early summer, he said.

The lack of alternative treatment for minor injuries in Cannock was highlighted at the meeting by councillor Phil Hewitt, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

He broke his leg and had to get treatment at the MIU in Lichfield which resulted in further treatment in Burton-upon-Trent, 26 miles (42km) away from Cannock.

Mr Hewitt told councillors his wife was able to drive him but other constituents did not have the same resources.

"It's putting cars on the road, we're filling up A&E units which we shouldn't do and I genuinely think the people of Cannock Chase deserve an MIU," he said.

Mr Warnes said the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust were not in a position to reopen the Cannock unit so they were working with other providers.

"When it does reopen we want it to be designed to meet the needs of the population that used it pre-pandemic," he said.