LISTEN: Will the minor injuries unit at Glasgow’s Yorkhill hospital reopen?
MSP Anas Sarwar has written to the Health Secretary Shona Robison
Last updated 9th Mar 2017
Will the minor injuries unit at Glasgow’s Yorkhill hospital reopen?
That’s the question being asked by Scottish Labour this morning.
The facility was closed just days before Christmas, but it’s unclear when the unit will open its doors to local residents again.
Patients are currently being seen at the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital – but Labour’s Health spokesperson Anas Sarwar says he’s written to Health Secretary Shona Robison for answers:
He added: “The decision to shut the minor injuries unit at Yorkhill before Christmas with no pre-warning and no consultation was dangerous and wrong. It caused anger amongst the local community and added even more pressure on the A&E at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital - already the most stressed emergency department in the country.
“When challenged the SNP government in Edinburgh insisted this closure was a temporary measure due to staffing issues over Christmas. Well we are now into March and the unit is still closed.
"Local people believe this is a deliberate attempt to undermine the unit so it can be closed permanently. The SNP must come clean and give us a set date the unit will reopen. Any service change has to go through the appropriate process and be approved. This situation is completely unacceptable."
A spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "The Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at West Glasgow was temporarily moved to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) on Friday, 23 December at 9pm as part of the board’s winter preparations.
"This has enabled us to strengthen services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and has had a minimal impact on patients.
"Our nurse practitioners at all our MIUs carry out an important role and this move was intended to make best use of this expert team of nursing staff, in order to help as many people as possible.
"The MIU treats adults and children aged five and over for a range of minor injuries such as cuts broken bones, sprains and minor burns."