URGENT Haslemere Minor Injuries Unit under threat of closure-deadline to respond TODAY, Sept 29th.
Dear All,
I just wanted to let you know that the Minor Injuries Unit at the Haslemere Hospital is at real risk of closure,
and that the deadline for the public consultation is TODAY- SEPT 29th, 2019.
NHS policy is that the current system of three different types of urgent care provision needs to be rationalised as a standard system of “Urgent Treatment Centres” (UTCs), meeting 24 specified standards (including that they should be GP-led, and open 12 hrs a day, 7 days a week).
The implication is that existing Minor Injury Units and Walk-in Centres that cannot upgrade, would be closed- however I believe the facility at Haslemere already provides many services (see the list below) and rather than shut down, should be upgraded to meet the UTC standards.
No decisions have yet been taken concerning our local unit and the unit at Petersfield, but there is a real risk of closure. If both are closed we will all have to travel to either Guildford, Frimley Park or Chichester for treatment of minor injuries and blood testing.
If you care about saving this vital service in our community please do write today to explain why our Minor Injuries unit is so important to you and your family.
Please email gwccg.info@nhs.net and copy MP Jeremy Hunt- huntj@parliament.uk.
Best wishes
Nikki
Nikki Barton
Surrey County Councillor for Haslemere
Town Councillor for Haslemere and Grayswood
Existing Services at Haslemere MIU
There is an established MIU which already covers many of the needs of the proposed new centre including: –
Out of hours base
-Standalone Minor injuries….currently 9am -5 pm
-Radiology and Ultrasound on site
-Outpatients and fracture clinic
-Paramedics 24 hrs.
-A Pharmacy 7.30 am to 10.30pm week days .10 am to 5pm Sunday’s
-Community nursing base -Minor Injuries 9am to 5pm
-Telemedicine link to burns and plastic unit East Grinstead
-Pathology Service
These services have been built up over time and they are increasingly being used with an average weekly attendance at the MIU of 200 patients. It is important to note that there is space on the site which can be adapted or rearranged to make room for any additional services or a modular building.