By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
An NHS panel has concluded that Newark’s Urgent Treatment Centre should not reopen overnight despite strong public support for keeping it open 24 hours.
The urgent treatment centre is currently open from 9am to 10pm, seven days per week, treating patients with injuries including cuts, simple bone breaks, wounds, minor burns and minor head, eye and back injuries.
It is run by Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust.
The centre was first temporarily closed for overnight admissions in April 2020 due to pressures during the Covid-19 pandemic. The closure was then extended in 2021, 2022, and again in June 2023.
The Integrated Care Board (ICB) which organises local healthcare services, says a final decision on the opening hours of the centre has not yet been made.
It says the centre cannot be safely staffed.
The ICB stressed the Urgent Treatment Centre will still be operating at a minimum of 12 hours a day, in line with the specification for Urgent Treatment Centres across England.
Since September 2023, people in Nottinghamshire have been asked for their views on the opening hours and whether they should be spread differently throughout the day.
A total of 1,932 people took part in the ‘listening exercise’, with 70.5 per cent of respondents strongly disagreed or disagreed that the current opening hours of the centre are suitable.
The majority of people said they would like the centre to return to 24 hours or for it to be an A&E.
But the ‘clinical senate’, a panel made up of nurses, doctors, GPs and NHS leaders from across the East Midlands unanimously concluded that the Urgent Treatment Centre should be permanently closed overnight.
They said opening times should be based on activity levels and available staffing, and more work should be done to raise awareness about the centre.
They added there was “passion and determination” from staff to maintain high-quality care in the hospital.
Now, a decision will be made on whether to start a full public consultation on the plans.
Victoria Mcgregor-Riley, Locality Director for the ICB, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We recognise people want a clear process but until we’ve gone through those conversations we can’t commit to any specific timetable.
“We want to support coming to a reasonable timeframe in the new year.
“We will talk with the health scrutiny committee, NHS England, legal advisors and ICB colleagues.
“It could be that we go to full consultation or other routes may be taken.
“No decision has been made.”
Prior to the pandemic, before the temporary hours were put in place, the urgent treatment centre was often closed overnight at short notice due to lack of staff availability.
The ICB says when it was open overnight it would treat on average one patient per hour, in contrast to between four and six patients per hour during the daytime.
The ICB said figures show more people in Newark are using the 111 service and seven pharmacies in the area have signed up to provide extended services to treat more minor illnesses.
It comes as Newark Hospital is benefiting from a £5.6m plan for a new operating theatre and two minor operation rooms.
The Urgent Treatment Centre will be discussed by Nottinghamshire County Council’s health scrutiny committee on December 12.
