The continued cull of Angus minor illness and injury units could lead to a “two-tier” local health service and a winter of discontent for rural residents, it has been claimed.
After changes were announced which will see minor injury and illness units (MIIUs) at Montrose and Brechin close at weekends and on public holidays, Angus MP Kirstene Hair has said the move will have an unfair impact on those living in more remote parts of the district.
Angus Health and Social Care Partnership has been forced to make the changes after failing to overcome what the body described as “considerable staffing challenges” in manning the units.
Gail Smith, AHSCP head of community health and care services said: “It is essential that we provide an MIIU service with appropriately skilled staff which is safe for patients and staff.
“Although we have been actively recruiting nurses, we have been unable to replace staff with the required level of experience and expertise to run this specialist service.
“It takes a minimum of five years for a registered nurse to acquire the additional essential education, training and clinical skills to practice safely in the minor injury and illness environment.
“We have had to make the decision to change the opening times of the units in Montrose and Brechin to ensure we continue to deliver safe and effective minor injury and illness services in Angus.”
From Monday June 4 Montrose and Brechin MIIUs will only open from 9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, leaving out of hours provision at Arbroath Infirmary and Whitehills in Forfar.
Conservative MP Ms Hair said Freedom of Information data had revealed almost 6,000 people visited Angus MIIUs over the festive fortnight in the last five years – including more than 1,500 in Brechin and Montrose, and she fears the impact of future winters on local patients.
“I will always be an advocate of providing local services in the local area – that is in the best interests of local people,” she said.
“Angus suffers from poor transport links and with many choosing not to drive, the closure of these vital services is extremely unwelcome news to this area.
“Particularly during evenings and weekends, we run the severe risk of creating a two-tier health service.
“Making the choice to stay at home, which is an option many will take on a dark winter evening, is particularly dangerous when GP surgeries and pharmacy dispensaries are closed over the festive period.”
A total of 5,901 visits were made between December 24 and January 6. Arbroath had 2,928, Forfar 1395, Montrose 1,010, and Brechin had 568 in two years.
“My constituents are desperately concerned about being left without local healthcare on weekdays, plus extended periods over public holidays,” added the MP.
AHSCP said a review of MIIU services had looked at a number of factors.
“Information from the review shows that for the Montrose and Brechin MIIUs, the most prevalent reason for attendance is for needle exchange and wound dressing change, neither of which are issues which require to be dealt with in an MIIU setting,” added Ms Smith.
The information showed that 100 patients attended Brechin, giving an average of one person per hour. Montrose had 180 attendances over these days, giving an average of 1.6 people per hour. Clearly, this is not sustainable.”
