Views needed on unit proposal
HEALTH chiefs are seeking the views of the public on the proposed new opening times for Malton Hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit.
The NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) recommended to its Governing Body on Wednesday last week that the unit should open from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 5pm on weekends.
Now the Governing Body wants to hear from the public about the re-worked opening hours before it makes a final decision in April.
In the proposals, the way the MIU is staffed would also change with local GPs taking responsibility for providing the service during weekday mornings and specialist nurses taking over in the afternoons and weekends.
Simon Cox, Accountable Officer for the CCG, said: “I feel our proposal to reopen the MIU at weekends is a positive move and responds to the issues raised by local residents over the last couple of months.
“I hope that as many people as possible complete the survey and attend the events so that we can ensure the MIU is able to meet the needs of local patients.”
In November last year, the York and North Yorkshire Primary Care Trust announced its plans to close the MIU on evenings and weekends in response to a worsening financial deficit. It involved reducing the opening hours to 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
But it also led to a campaign spearheaded by Cllr Lindsay Burr and Dr Mike Lynch which resulted in thousands of people signing petitions and a march through Malton to oppose any permanent cuts to the opening hours.
It then emerged a fortnight ago that, following a review, the CCG was recommending the unit should be re-opened on weekends but not on weekday evenings.
Their recommendations were then handed over to the Governing Body at Ryedale House last week.
Cllr Burr, who was at the meeting, said: “It was a huge relief to hear that the Governing Board agreed to re-open the Minor Injury Unit at Malton Hospital on weekends thus providing a service seven days a week.
“At the meeting it was gratifying to learn from the report that all our protests and petitions had really put pressure on the board to rethink and I am sure they had no idea how strongly people felt about this appalling decision made in November.
She added: “This is great news, however, we still need to keep the pressure up so our unit is never put under this kind of threat again.
“We need to work with the CCG and improve and expand Malton Hospital, not reduce services at our hospital
Public events are planned at:
l Malton and Norton Rugby Club on Monday, March 18, 6.30pm to 8.30pm;
l Kirkbymoorside Library on Wednesday, March 20, 10am to 12pm;
l Helmsley Library, Friday, March 22, 10am to 12pm;
l Norton Library on Saturday, March 23, 10am to 12pm;
l Malton Library, on Saturday, March 23, 12pm to 2pm; and
l Pickering Library on Monday, March 25, 12pm to 2pm.
The first event in Malton will also include a short presentation of the new model for the MIU followed by an opportunity for people to speak one-to-one with CCG representatives. All other events are drop-in events where the public can speak face-to-face with CCG colleagues.
Anyone wishing to complete the survey online can do so at www.scarboroughryedaleccg.nhs.uk
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Weather for Malton
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 7 C to 12 C
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