County councillors say they will scrutinise the decision to temporarily close the Minor Injury Unit (MIU) at the Community Hospital in Ross-on-Wye.

The Wye Valley NHS Trust closed the unit on December 3rd, 2018, as well as the MIU at Leominster Community Hospital, and they are not expected to reopen until the end of April, 2019.

The decision was made as part of the trust’s strategy to help relieve winter pressures, but many residents in Ross-on-Wye fear that the temporary closure could lead to a permanent loss of the service in the market town.

Ross-on-Wye Town Councillor Paul Symonds, who has been working alongside other Ross Town Councillors collecting signatures on a petition to be presented to the Wye Valley Trust, asked Herefordshire Council’s Adults and Wellbeing Committee to review and scrutinise the closure.

Councillor Symonds, together with Councillor Chris Bartrum, then presented the petition, signed by more than 2,000 residents, calling on the health trust to reopen the unit in Ross, on Friday, February 1st.

Councillor Symonds said: “We are also asking the trust to engage with local stakeholders before any future changes and to demonstrate their commitment to maintaining services in community hospitals.”

Cllr Symonds and Cllr Bartrum gave their petition with over 2,700 signatures to Jane Ives, Managing Director of the Wye Valley NHS Trust. The petition will be discussed at a public meeting in the Board Room, at the Trust Headquarters on February 7th at 1pm.

When the MIU was closed a Wye Valley NHS Trust spokesperson said the temporary closure allowed hospital bosses to redeploy experienced emergency nurse practitioners to provide support where it is most needed.

They said: “Built to see around 125 patients a day, the emergency department now regularly sees more than 180 a day and has recently had days with more than 200 people attending.

“The Trust’s main concern is the safety of patients with acute and emergency conditions ensuring that they are assessed, diagnosed and treated rapidly.”