COTSWOLD MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has sought reassurance from the head of Gloucestershire’s health services about the change to staffing in Cirencester Hospital’s minor injuries unit.

Doctors on the unit were replaced by specially trained nurses on October 1, bringing it in line with six others in the region.

Health bosses believe the change will save £366,000 a year which can be reinvested back into local health services.

The move provoked a strong reaction from Standard readers concerned that levels of care may slip and that it may put undue pressure on nurses.

But NHS bosses rushed to assuage fears, telling hospital users the Emergency Nurse Practitioners were “highly qualified” and that similar arrangements had worked in other county hospitals.

Mr Clifton-Brown praised the Cirencester Hospital and the minor injuries, before saying: “I have been contacted by constituents raising concerns about changes at Cirencester Hospital minor injuries and illness unit (MIIU) and have raised this with Paul Jennings, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust.

“I have been informed that this change is part of a move for all of the MIIUs to become nurse-led. Six other units in Gloucestershire have already made this move with Cirencester following in October. Evidence has indicated that emergency nurse-led MIIUs do provide effective and safe services for minor injuries and illness.

“It is also important the differences between the minor injuries and illness units and accident and emergency departments. The nurses at MIIUs are highly skilled and capable of caring for minor injuries, while more severe cases will continue to be dealt with by doctors at A&E should that be required.

“I will continue to monitor the situation carefully and if I believe standards are slipping I will be making further strong representations to the health authorities.”

Vas Asprou, who has lived in Cirencester for 25 years, said: “I feel, as I’m sure thousands do, that this is very worrying.

“It may bring the hospital in line with others but they are much bigger and will be able to fall back on other doctors if they need it.

“It will also put pressure on nurses to make decisions they may not feel comfortable with. It could also put pressure on the ambulance service if they have to move patients who need a doctor on to bigger hospitals."

She also questioned the proposed saving of £366,000 a year and whether the cost of the minor injuries unit could have been brought down with better organisation, instead of a staffing reshuffle.

“The people who work in Cirencester Hospital are fantastic,” she said. “But we can’t just cut services without thinking. Around a year and a half ago I had to wait 45 minutes for an ambulance to come from the Forest of Dean.

“As Cirencester grows we should be looking to expand the hospital.”

Mike Roberts, medical director at Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust, responded to Ms Asprou’s concerns, saying: “The Emergency Nurse Practitioners who now run the MIIU at Cirencester are extremely well qualified and skilled practitioners.

“The unit is commissioned to manage a range of minor conditions and illnesses and under no circumstances would our nurses be asked to carry out duties beyond their training or capabilities.

“Where someone attending the MIIU has a serious condition we will refer them on to the appropriate service, and we have a good working relationship with South West Ambulance Service should someone require urgent transfer to another hospital.”