The South Eastern Trust has approved plans to create a new Urgent Care Centre at the Ulster Hospital.
The new consultant led centre will deliver care seven days a week and will run alongside the new Emergency Department at the hospital.
The unit will replace the Minor Injury Unit at Ards Community Hospital and the Minor Injury Unit at Bangor Community Hospital, if the plans are approved by the Department of Health.
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The Trust's Board has made the recommendation following a 12 week consultation on the model of emergency care in the Ards and North Down area.
The first phase of the plans would see the opening of a Minor Injury Unit 8am-6pm, seven days a week at the Ulster Hospital site.
The Ards Community Hospital currently operates 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
The Trust has said that it remains committed to both the Ards and Bangor Community Hospitals and they will continue to deliver a wide range of Primary and Community Care Services for the local population.
The second phase of the service change involves provision of a full Urgent Care Centre 8am-8pm, 7 days a week, co-located with the new Emergency Department in the Ulster Hospital’s Acute Services Block.
The South Eastern Trust’s Medical Director Charlie Martyn said, “Clinical staff in the Trust are very clear that the creation of an Urgent Care Centre at the Ulster Hospital, would provide the population with a more comprehensive service than is currently available at the Ards Minor Injury Unit, as well as helping to improve patient flow through the Emergency Department at the Ulster Hospital. This would be a more sustainable model of care in the future.
“Having a new Consultant led Urgent Care Centre, co-located with the new Emergency Department at the Ulster Hospital, would also really benefit patients as it would give them easier access to medical assessment and clinical investigations, if required, on the same site.
“I would like to thank our staff in both Ards and Bangor Minor Injury Units for the excellent care and service they have provided to the community.”
A Trust spokesperson said: "We would like to thank the public, our partner organisations and elected and community representatives for their continued understanding and for the support offered to our dedicated and committed staff as they continue to work tirelessly to protect and care for our community."
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