Temporary closures at the Leek Moorlands Hospital Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) "have not been taken lightly", councillors will be told at a meeting tomorrow.

We reported recently how the MIU again closed temporarily as too many staff were off work due to Covid, before reopening after six days.

It was the second time in four months that services at the MIU have been suspended due to Covid absences, and the MIU was also closed from March 2020 to June 2021 due to staff shortages brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic and low levels of attendance.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Councillors will be given a presentation about the MIU at a meeting of the council's Health Overview & Scrutiny Panel tomorrow (Tuesday 26th July).

In a preview of the presentation provided ahead of the meeting, information is provided about the decisions to temporarily close the unit.

It explains that the MIU is a nurse-led walk in service, currently open from 9am-5pm daily.

It provides treatment for minor illness and injury including:

• Wounds needing stiches
• Ear infections
• Sprains and strain
• Suspected broken limbs
• Bites and stings
• Minor head injuries
• Minor burns

Explaining the suspensions, it says: "Important to stress the decisions to suspend services have not been taken lightly and made in response to severe staffing pressures.

"Due to highly specialised skillset of nurse-led workforce, it has been difficult to source additional staffing (e.g. bank and agency).

"During service suspensions Moorlands residents have been asked to attend Haywood Walk in Centre.

"Anyone unsure about where to go for care and treatment advised to contact NHS 111 (to signpost to most appropriate place of care)."

It also gives more information about the MIU's future plans, saying: "In order to continue to deliver extended operating hours at Haywood WIC and re-open Leek MIU safely, MPFT recruited an additional 10 staff.

"A number of the additional staff were recruited from Royal Stoke's Emergency Department, which impacts on ED staffing.

"Development programme in place by MPFT to support Registered Nurses to become Emergency Care Practitioners.

"However, this is not an immediate fix for the workforce challenges across emergency care."

It adds that the MIU's opening hours will be put under review, saying: "Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent's Urgent and Emergency Care Board to review Leek MIU operating hours.

"Review will analyse activity levels and workforce data, along with patient experience."