The Urgent Treatment Centre at Crawley Hospital will be closed during the nights from May 20.
The Centre is usually open 24/7 but the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust has announced a ‘temporary change’ which will see it open from 7.30am and close from 10pm.
A spokesman said the majority of patients attended the Centre during those hours, with an average of two per hour using the service overnight.
They added that the decision for the temporary change had been made ‘to ensure that safe staffing levels can continue to be maintained’ when the Centre was most in use.
The spokesman said:
“Whilst arrangements have been in place to utilise temporary staffing, this is not providing adequate cover and is not sustainable.
“Putting in place this pilot arrangement will allow us to reallocate overnight staff into the daytime when the unit sees the most patients.
“It will mean that we have more staff available when patients need the service most as we consider how we can meet the needs of the local community for the longer term.”
The trust said the centre would continue to deliver the full range of services currently available.
This includes treatment for sprains and strains, broken bones, minor burns and scalds, minor head and eye injuries, bites and stings.
The spokesman added:
“Our team will be continuously monitoring the number of patients attending the unit, as well as their reason for attending across the next six months so we can ensure we are there when our patients need us.
“We will also monitor wider impacts within the health and care system and work alongside our partners to ensure this move enhances safe urgent care for the local community.”
In February, the centre dealt with 5,649 patients.
The trust encouraged people to continue to use the centre during its new operating hours and, overnight, the public should use alternative services such as NHS 111, or in life-threatening emergencies, continue to access emergency departments.
For those requiring life-saving care, emergency departments are available at:
- East Surrey Hospital, Redhill
- Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath
- Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton & Hove
- Worthing Hospital
- St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester
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