Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
Residents in Newark are being encouraged to have their say about the opening hours of the urgent treatment centre (UTC) at Newark Hospital and share their experience of accessing NHS urgent care services overnight.
NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board is hosting five public engagement events between 19 September and 14 October to discuss the best permanent opening hours for the UTC. Residents can also feedback by completing an online survey.
The UTC, run by Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, provides urgent care and non-life-threatening treatment for injuries or conditions, such as cuts, simple broken bones, wounds, minor burns and minor head, eye and back injuries.
The UTC is open for 13 hours a day, between 9am to 10pm, slightly exceeding the national standard of 12 hours per day.
The current opening hours were put in place in March 2020 as a temporary measure to address ongoing staffing issues made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the pandemic, the UTC was often closed overnight at short notice due to lack of staff availability. Typically, when the UTC was open overnight, it would treat, on average, one patient per hour, in contrast to between 4-6 patients per hour during the daytime.
Local health leaders are committed to a safe, sustainable urgent treatment centre at Newark Hospital, operating at least 12 hours per day, which is in line with the specification for urgent treatment centres across England.
Speaking on the future of the UTC, Dr David Briggs, Medical Director of NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“We’re committed to providing high quality sustainable services to the Newark population and supporting Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s vision that Newark Hospital is a valued and vibrant community asset.
“So, we want to hear from the people who matter the most – those who live and work in the Newark area. Come along to one of the public engagement events or complete our online survey.
“Our aim is to provide modern health services that meet people’s changing needs for years to come.”
To attend any of the public events listed above, please register here
