Council challenges closure of hospital 's Minor Injuries Unit

Cannock Chase Council 's portfolio holder for Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Val Jones, and the Leader of the Council, Councillor Olivia Lyons, have jointly written to the Chief Executive of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust to raise concerns that Cannock Chase Hospital 's Minor Injuries Unit remains closed.

The Trust decided to close the unit temporarily in order to transfer its staff to other critical areas of the hospital in response to Covid-19 pressures.

The councillors recognised the need to close the unit last year at the height of the pandemic but many months on, and with society re-opening, say they are receiving a growing number of complaints from residents about the unit and its services being currently unavailable.

In their letter, Councillor Jones (pictured) and Councillor Lyons note the excellent reputation of the Minor Injuries Unit and suggest its closure may well be putting further pressure on the accident and emergency department at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton from its residents who would normally go to the unit for help and assistance.

They add that they are not alone in receiving complaints, with many other district councillors being contacted by residents in recent weeks.

Writing to the Trust 's chief executive, Professor David Loughton, they said the unit has “served many in our community very well ” but that they “are concerned that, as yet there appears to be no announcement of the opening ”.

They also went on to ask for an appropriate timescale as to its reopening.

Photograph:

Councillor Val Jones, Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing.