Issue - meetings

To consider the report of Lesley Petrie, East Cheshire Hospital Trust.

The Committee considered a report of East Cheshire NHS Trust on proposed changes to the provision of the Minor Injuries Unit at Congleton War Memorial Hospital. 

The proposal related to an alteration to the opening times of the Unit; it was proposed that the opening hours be reduced and an Emergency Nurse Practitioner be employed each day to mainly treat minor injuries patients and a Health Care Assistant be employed, for half a day, to deal with most of the GP referral patients.  This option would remove the risk related to lone working as a radiographer would work at the Unit during the morning. 

The Unit’s current opening hours were from 8.30 am until 8.30 pm but the number of patients attending with minor injuries was low and patients mainly attended between 10.00am – 4.00 pm.  It was proposed that the weekday hours be amended to 10.00 am – 6.00pm and the weekend and Bank Holiday hours remain as 8.00 am – 8.30pm.  Consultation had been carried out with the Ambulance Trust, local GP surgeries and the Local Involvement Network.

RESOLVED: That the proposed changes to the opening times of the Minor Injuries Unit, as set out in the report, be supported.