Altrincham Hospital 's minor injuries unit will remain closed until at least August because of a shortage of nurses. Services at the unit were suspended in November last year because of a lack of emergency nurse practitioners (ENPs).
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, says it has been "trying very hard" to attract EPNs to the service but pointed to a "national challenge" in recruiting for these posts. Councillors on Trafford's Health Scrutiny Committee will be briefed on the situation on June 28
In a letter to the committee, the trust's group director of strategy Darren Banks said: "We continue to care for significant numbers of patients who are Covid-19 positive and face higher than usual staff absences associated with the ongoing management of the pandemic." He said this meant the trust was having to focus the time of its ENPs at the urgent treatment centre at Trafford General Hospital and the emergency deparment at Wythenshaw Hospital "given that these departments receive the most acutely unwell patents".
READ MORE: Concerns over future of minor injuries unit in Altrincham resurface as staff shortages force closure
He went on: "This has ensured that these two key services remain both clinically safe and accessible to the population across Trafford and beyond." Mr Banks said the trust would continue with its ENP recruitment attempts but "we require options in the event that we do not succeed with this".
He said a "detailed options appraisal" had begun with a view to ensuring services can be maintained which are "safe and sustainable" for patients. Mr Banks said that once the appraisal was complete the next steps would be discussed with NHS commissioning and local authority colleagues.
He added: "We are also actively considering which services can be provided from Altrincham Hospital without having to rely on Emergency Nurse Practitioners."
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