Staff sickness is not a good enough excuse to reduce the operating hours of Lewes Victoria's Minor Injuries Unit (MIU). That is the view of local MP, Norman Baker, who has called on East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT to ensure that future staff shortages do not cut frontline services for local residents.
The local PCT has announced a cut to opening hours at the Victoria Hospital following a combination of staff vacancies arising, maternity leave and sickness and has failed, with East Sussex Community Health Services, to find suitable staffing cover. This regional problem has led to a review of the operating hours at both the Crowborough and Lewes Units, starting with reduced hours in August until the end of October.
However, Lewes Victoria has suffered more immediately than first thought with the Unit being closed yesterday, the 20th of July, today, the 21st of July, and tomorrow, the 22nd of July. In addition, there will be reduced opening hours at the weekend from the usual 8am to 8pm to 9am to 5pm instead, and these hours will remain the case for the foreseeable future.
Commenting Norman said: "It is simply not good enough to blame staff sickness for the closures and reduced operating hours. The Victoria MIU provides an essential service and to expect local residents, particularly the elderly, to travel to Uckfield, as the PCT has advised, is very unsatisfactory. People rely on the Unit and the PCT should have foreseen that staff sickness would result in cuts to the operation of a frontline service. They should have prepared for that eventuality and I have written to the Director of the PCT, Mike Wood, to say just that."
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
