I have sent the email below to my councillor colleagues with an update about Haslemere Minor Injuries Unit. I wrote about the MIU in the past on my blog here and here.

Dear Colleagues,

Please find attached the Notes from a Meeting with representatives of NHS England which clarifies the position of Haslemere’s MIU.  The following section of the briefing note is particularly significant:

“Members noted references in the report to the Haslemere MIU not complying fully with the new standards for Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) and pointed out that the Secretary of State for Health confirmed before the December 2019 general election that the MIU would remain open. They heard that the Secretary of State’s intervention ran contrary to the official NHS England (NHSE) guidance in terms of UTC standards, and that any decision to change Haslemere MIU into a UTC would need to be supported by NHSE.  An assurance process to be undertaken by NHSE would determine whether this would be supported by the regulator. It was explained that Commissioners, not the Secretary of State for Health, have the legal duty and responsibility for local commissioning decisions”.

My key concern is that the public may assume that the future of the MIU in Haslemere is safe following the Secretary of State’s intervention, which unfortunately is clearly not the case.  I understand that both Milford and Cranleigh are actively preparing their cases as the possible UTC site of choice going forward.

Lisa <town clerk>, please could you share this with all town councillors as a matter of urgency, and I am copying in Jeremy in case he can shed further light on the situation.

Best regards

Nikki