Health chiefs facing anger over decision to close hospital units

Controversial proposals have been approved to shut the minor injury services at both the Lambert Hospital in Thirsk and the Friary Hospital in Richmond, prompting concerns that patients will no longer seek treatment for ailments.

Senior health officials have maintained that GPs will now provide adequate cover from their surgeries during the day and with an out-of-hours service during the evening and night.

However, a member of North Yorkshire County Council's influential scrutiny of health committee, John Blackie, claimed the decision by NHS North Yorkshire and York, the primary care trust (PCT), had been greeted with "dismay and disappointment".

He also said many patients would not bother to make the journey to have minor injuries treated, prompting concerns that their conditions could escalate.

Coun Blackie, who represents the Upper Dales division on the county council, said: "It is the wrong decision which has been made for the wrong reasons, and will represent another nail in the coffin for healthcare for remote rural communities.

"It would seem that it was a foregone conclusion that this would happen as the decision appears to have been made long before the public consultation.

"Despite the opposition of the scrutiny of health committee and other representations against the closures, the PCT has decided to push ahead with the plans anyway."

Board members on the PCT took the decision on Tuesday to close the two hospital units after hearing that the services were only being used by a handful of patients every week.

It is expected that the minor injuries unit in Richmond will close by December, while the same services at the Lambert Hospital will be shut down in the next few weeks as part of a programme of renovations.

Board members also agreed to defer any decision on the closure of the minor injuries unit at St Monica's Hospital in Easingwold until its next meeting on November 23 while further discussions with local clinicians take place.

Proposals were also backed for minor injury services in Hambleton and Richmondshire to continue to be provided by GP practices and by accident and emergency departments.

The Hambleton and Richmondshire Commissioning Group, a group of 17 GP practices across the two North Yorkshire districts, made the initial recommendation to close the minor injury units.

The group's chairman, Grahame Dickinson, said: "Community hospitals have a prime responsibility to look after their in-patients, who are often frail and elderly. These patients are put at risk when ward staff are called away to see minor injuries cases.

"The number of minor injuries cases attending these units averages around one or two per day. To train nurses and retain their skills to treat minor injuries in line with current requirements is not viable.

"The nurses are also not fully trained in child protection issues and we cannot afford to take any risks in this area. These proposals will help ensure that we preserve and improve community hospitals for their primary role."

However, concerns have been intensifying in recent months about the cuts in North Yorkshire's health cover.

NHS bosses came under fire last week after announcing that two community hospital wards - one in Malton recently renovated at a cost of 1.25m and another at Whitby will be among the first casualties of a "hospital at home" experiment.