A?reader contacted the Gazette this week enquiring about the erection of a sign, on the roundabout at Hildersley, indicating the hours at Ross' Minor Injury Unit are "not 24 hours". Further signs, like the one pictured (right), also appear outside the Hospital, on Alton Street, and down the Walford Road.

The Minor Injury Unit's hours were reduced from being 24 hours last year, and, despite a petition of 6,000 signatures being handed in, Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group is yet to announce a decision on the future hours of the service. As the eagle-eyed reader pointed out to the Gazette, the erection of the signs suggests a permanance to the decision.

However, a Wye Valley NHS?Trust spokesperson said: "The new signage for Ross-on-Wye Community Hospital Minor Injury Unit was put in place as part of a campaign to help raise awareness of the current opening times, which changed last year to a Monday to Friday service, 8.30am - 5.30pm (excluding public/bank holidays), and to advise members of the public of the A&E alternatives available.

"These include: NHS Direct, visiting their local GP, local pharmacy, walk in Centre at Asda in Hereford (preferably using the out of hours number for quick over-the-phone advice – 0330 123 9309). Anyone needing emergency treatment out of hours has access to the full range of services provided at Hereford County Hospital's A&E department, in Hereford."

The Gazette was still waiting for an update from Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group at the time of going to press.

For more stories in full please see this week's Ross Gazette.