The Minor Injury Unit (MIU) at Ross Community Hospital is to have its opening hours trimmed. From Monday, October 1st, the MIU at Ross will be open from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Mondays to Fridays, instead of 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Wye Valley NHS Trust claims that the decision has been made to protect the clinical safety of patients attending the MIU, and those in wards at the community hospital, and to protect the safety of staff who often have to treat patients alone at night.

The Trust said that currently staff members manning the MIU have to leave wards and work alone, or in pairs, when they treat patients at the units during the night.

The Trust claims that the move will affect a limited number of people: Ross MIU received an average of 24 people a month last year during the out of hours period, and the move, to close both Leominster and Ross MIUs will allow the Wye Valley NHS Trust to strengthen the service provided at the Accident and Emergency Unit at the County Hospital.

"For the vast majority of the 8,000 visits we can expect at the two MIUs this year it will be 'business as normal'," said Peter Wilson, Medical Director at Wye Valley NHS Trust.

"We're constantly reviewing services to make sure local people receive the high quality care they deserve and this decision is a measured response to address issues of patient and staff safety," he added.

Anyone needing treatment out of hours will have access to the County Hospital's Accident and Emergency department. Patients are advised to visit a local pharmacy and use NHS Direct if injuries are minor.

The kind of injuries which Minor Injury Units treat include: sprains and strains, broken bones, wound infections, minor burns and scalds, minor head injuries, insect and animal bites, minor eye injuries and injuries to the back, shoulder and chest.