A decision on the future of the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) for Ross-on-Wye is a step further according to Paul Deneen, former Chair of the Ross Community Hospital Campaign, who was asked by the Mayor at a public meeting held at the end of 2012, to facilitate this issue.

Mr Deneen has been in touch with the Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (HCCG) which commissions the MIU services for Herefordshire and the Chief Executive and Chair of the Wye Valley Hospital Trust Board which is responsible for providing the service at the Ross Community Hospital.

He has been told that an Independent Report of the MIU service for Herefordshire is being finalised this week, and will be being considered by both the Commissioners and the Providers over the next week or so at the respective Board meetings.

Mr Deneen said:?"I have been most grateful to Dr Andy Watts and Cathy Gritzner, the Chair and a Chief Executive of the Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group and to Mark Curtis and Derek Smith, the Chair and Chief Executive of the Wye Valley Hospital Trust for their openness regarding this issue."

He added:?"They have all confirmed that an Independent Report is being prepared, together with processes for decision making being made by the Boards of the respective organisations.

"In addition, Derek Smith has also asked for a further meeting with GP's in Ross to take place in the near future to discuss the matter and be fully updated on the situation. I am therefore in the process of arranging and will facilitate this further meeting."

For the rest of this story please see this week's Ross Gazette.