The Green Party is calling for normal opening hours to be resumed as soon as possible at Guy’s Hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit after it received figures [1] showing "temporary" cuts in services since March 210 have lead to 3,700 fewer patients being treated, a reduction of 25%.
Noel Lynch, chair of the London Green party, said:
"The cuts to this service are having a major impact on people living and working locally. Minor injuries [4] can become serious health problems if left untreated. A bone breakage can turn into gangrene for instance. People are already deterred from visiting crowded A and E departments, and now they will be even less likely to visit their local Minor Injuries Unit if they think they will not be seen. Most people don’t go to hospital unless they really have to."
Lynch continues:
"Over the full year admissions are likely to be down by about 25% [3]. The Minor Injuries Unit provides a valuable service and has a great potential to alleviate pressure on accident and emergency wards and other NHS resources. Instead it is seemingly being wound down with no end in sight to this allegedly temporary cut in opening hours. Normal opening hours should be resumed as quickly as possible."
Note to editors
[1] Figures from FOI request. Annual attendances at minor injuries unit were:
2007 – 18,432
2008 – 18,947
2009 – 18,315
2010 – 14,615
[2] See report on London-se1.co.uk: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/4405
[3] Figures for 2010 show a 20% reduction but restriction to opening hours occurred in March and after a full year the fall is likely to be 25% based on current trends.
[4] Minor Injuries Units can treat:
* Sprains and strains
* Broken bones
* Wound infections
* Minor burns and scalds
* Minor head injuries
* Insect and animal bites
* Minor eye injuries
* Injuries to the back, shoulder and chest
Source: NHS