Thousands respond to consultation on plans to close and move NHS services in Sheffield

A Sheffield NHS Clinical Commissioning Group consultation has now ended which proposed to close and move the Minor Injuries Unit at the Hallamshire Hospital to the Northern General.

The Walk-in Centre on Broad Lane is also under threat with a new service moving to the Fir Vale site in the north of the city.

The consultation itself has been criticised as there is no option to keep services as they are.

Others have raised concerns about accessibility to the Northern General from the south of Sheffield.

Further proposals in the consultation include urgent eye appointments being offered at opticians across the city 'closer to people's homes'. Emergency care will continue at the Hallamshire.

NHS bosses claim the money saved from the changes will be re-invested to make accessing a same-day GP appointment easier.

Health chiefs said on latest figures, over 2,300 had officially responded to the urgent care consultation but this figure is expected to be much higher.

Campaign group Sheffield Save Our NHS also handed in three petitions signed by nearly 10,000 people to city health bosses last month.

Lord Blunkett, former Sheffield MP, cabinet minister and now peer has also spoken against the plans.

Speaking to The Star today, he said: "I've stressed that patients and medics within the NHS have had enough of unremitting change.

"They (CCG) should pull back from the closing the Walk-in Centre and the Minor Injuries Unit until all the community hubs have been shown to actually work instead of moving services to a central site at the Northern General.

"There are already major transport and accessibility problems around the Northern General and centralising services will only exacerbate the problem.

"One thing I learned over 30 years ago is when you go to consultation, you need to listen to what people are saying."

Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh has also been a fierce critic of the plans calling them 'reckless' and 'short-sighted'.

She said today: "This response shows the depth of concern over the proposed closures. These services are extremely popular and reduce pressure on overstretched A&E departments.

“I am sure the CCG will reflect on the strength of feeling and think again about the future of urgent care services in Sheffield.”

Tim Moorhead, GP and Chair at NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group said, “We have heard from lots of individuals and groups across Sheffield who have shared their ideas and concerns and we appreciate the time they have taken to do this.

"We also appreciate the efforts of many to raise awareness of this important consultation across the city. All of the feedback has now been sent for independent analysis.”