MADAM, I am Treasurer of The Friends of Ross Hospital and on Saturday we had our Autumn Coffee Morning, when I saw a notice in Reception regarding the Minor Injury Unit. I was told that on Thursday the staff who work in the unit were informed that on Monday the hours would only be 08.30 to 17.30 Monday to Friday. The unit has been open 24 hours a day Monday to Sunday. This is a total disgrace, it is no way to treat staff and now there is going to be redundancies and very unsettling for the nurses. I understand the GPs are absolutely furious as they have paid for this service, and what is to happen to elderly people and young families who in the past have been able to go to Ross at a weekend if they have an injury. Now they will have to go to Hereford, and wait in long queues.

Since the NHS joined Hereford Council, The Friends have found that the staff have been much stretched, and there is not the happy atmosphere among the nurses. We have willingly supported The Hospital and now we are finding that equipment which we bought for the MI Unit recently isn't able to be used to the full. The nurses have been treated extremely badly and why are there too many chiefs and not enough Indians? Some of the top people ought to lose their jobs and allow the nurses to do the job they are best at – helping the sick.

While we had our coffee morning there were a number of people who visited the MI Unit. Next weekend they will have to go to Hereford. Do Wye Valley NHS Trust not care about the people of Ross and the local Community?

We have a fantastic Hospital in Ross and it is being threatened. Please can the people of Ross stand up and fight this change, so we can use our Hospital as it is meant to be with a 24 hour service.

Barbara Barter

Welsh Newton