Altrincham Hospital major injuries unit row rumbles on

A bid to get the permanent closure of Altrincham Hospital’s minor injuries unit debated at a special council meeting has been turned down by Trafford’s mayor. Mayor Coun Amy Whyte has refused a request by the leader of the Liberal Democrat group Coun Shaun Ennis for the emergency meeting.

Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board made the final decision to close the unit on September 18 following a review of urgent care provision in Trafford which recommended its permanent closure. The two rooms at Altrincham where minor injuries were treated until it closed during the first Covid pandemic lockdown in 2020 will now never reopen.

A crisis in the recruitment of special emergency nurses has been given as one of the reasons for the closure as well as changes to NHS policy which now says urgent care hubs must be near to A&E wards in hospitals. But the closure is despite a call by Trafford council’s watchdog health scrutiny committee for a high-level public consultation over the closure.

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Labour’s newly-elected Altrincham and Sale West MP also used his maiden speech in the House of Commons to call for the unit to be saved, seemingly at odds with his own party which controls Trafford council. Meanwhile, Coun Ennis submitted a formal request for a special council meeting to discuss the closure two weeks ago, citing an urgent meeting successfully called by Labour in 2013 to discuss the future of Trafford General Hospital as justification.

He said: “Trafford council has recently adopted a new set of corporate strategies that focus on the health and wellbeing of our residents. This decision to relocate a service outside of Trafford on a permanent basis goes completely against our stated objectives as a council.

“Whilst the decision to close the unit was not made by Trafford Council, it greatly affects the residents we serve. Councillors should debate the future of urgent care and any potential future uses of the space at Altrincham Hospital.”

He added: “The situation has changed since the council last debated Altrincham Hospital almost a year ago. More recently, when the proposal to close the minor injuries unit came to the health committee last month, members of the ruling Labour Group managed to vote three different ways.

“The Liberal Democrats think it is entirely appropriate to meet. It’s what our residents expect. Important issues like the future of health services require the council to take a view and time should be taken to give this issue proper consideration.

“The mayor’s decision is disappointing, to say the least.”

A spokesperson for Trafford council said: "The mayor has decided that it would be inappropriate to hold an extraordinary meeting for several reasons. Firstly, it is not the council that has the power to close the minor injuries unit. We were consulted and the council’s health scrutiny committee made it clear that we were opposed to the ICB’s recommendation to close the unit.

“The subject has been previously discussed at length, including at a full meeting of the council. Furthermore, there has to be a reason why the issue can’t wait until the next scheduled council meeting. There is no such reason because we are not the decision maker and the decision maker has already made a decision.

“Coun Ennis can now refer his request to the chief executive [Sara Todd] if he so chooses, in line with our constitution.”