MP calls for extended hours at minor injuries unit

Opening hours at a Warwickshire hospital's minor injuries unit should be extended, an MP has said.

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust declared a critical incident at Warwick Hospital on 14 January, amid growing pressure on its A&E department.

Manuela Perteghella MP, said a minor injuries facility at Stratford Hospital was "being under-utilised" and had remained closed during the incident.

The Stratford-on-Avon MP said she had written to the CEO of the NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to raise concerns about the limited opening hours of the unit. The BBC has approached the ICB for a response.

The unit is currently open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 09:00 and 16:00 GMT.

Perteghella said outside of those hours, residents with minor injuries were routinely directed to A&E, adding "avoidable demand" to "already overstretched emergency departments".

She said she had asked the ICB to extend the number of days the unit was open, so people could visit outside of normal working hours.

"Making better use of existing facilities is one of the most practical ways to improve patient flow and reduce unnecessary pressure on emergency care," the Liberal Democrat MP said.

"This is about making better use of a facility that already exists, in a way that benefits patients locally and offers relief to over stretched services."

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