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Trust admits staffing issue at urgent care centres

Christopher MaceWest of England
News imageBBC Exterior of the community hospital, with a green facade over the entrance. A few cars are parked outside.BBC
The urgent treatment centre at Minehead Community Hospital has to close regularly because of a lack of staff

A hospital trust has admitted that its six Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) and one minor injuries unit are having to close regularly because of staff shortages.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said about a quarter of the emergency nursing practitioner (ENP) roles needed to run the UTCs in Bridgwater, Frome, West Mendip, Chard, Shepton Mallet and Minehead, and a minor injuries unit in Bridgwater, were unfilled.

It said it was working to recruit more ENPs and find safe cover arrangements to prevent further closures.

David Packer, from Minehead, often needs to take his wife to a UTC because of her muscular dystrophy but he said closures were problematic as the nearest alternative was an hour away.

"My wife and I are both in our late 70s, and... if there is a closure we have to call 111... or we have to get to Musgrove [Park Hospital in Taunton]," he said.

"The nearest help you can get is 26 miles away."

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He said the journey takes an hour and, when the couple go in a taxi, it costs them £70 each way.

"She has a wheelchair and a walking frame and we can get those in the car and travel locally but if we have to go to Musgrove and park up, it takes time and it's tiring," he said.

News imageMandy Chilcott Council website portrait of Mandy Chilcott. She has medium-length brown hair and a small stud in each each. She is smiling at the camera.Mandy Chilcott
Councillor Mandy Chilcott said the closures were not acceptable

Somerset councillor Mandy Chilcott said the situation was unacceptable.

"We are such a long way from Taunton or Bridgwater," she said.

"Around 23% of our population in West Somerset don't have transport of their own.

"We have seen it for a little while now but what I'm most concerned about is that the UTC in Minehead stays open."

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said there was a national issue in recruiting ENPs.

It clarified that the Minehead unit has had an unscheduled closure at least twice a month for the past six months, primarily because of staffing shortages.

The trust also confirmed there had been frequent closures at the other five Somerset UTCs and the minor injuries unit in Bridgwater.

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