Thousands sign petitions to stop closure of NHS Walk-in Centre and Minor Injuries Unit in Sheffield

Deborah Cobbett from Sheffield Save Our NHS and Andy Shallice from Heeley Labour Party with the petitions

Campaign group Sheffield Save Our NHS, handed in three petitions signed by nearly 10,000 people to city health bosses against planned closures of the city centre NHS Walk-in Centre and Minor Injuries Unit at the Hallamshire Hospital.

Around 40 people held a demonstration outside the Sheffield NHS Clinical Commissioning Group offices in Darnall today.

Campaigners outside Sheffield NHS CCG offices in Darnall

The plans include moving the services to the Northern General which has proved hugely unpopular from people 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.

Groups of GPs will also work together to improve access to same-day appointments.

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

Minor Injuries Unit at the Hallamshire Hospital

Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh, has also hit out at the proposals and called them 'reckless' and 'short-sighted'.

Mike Simpkin, a supporter of Sheffield Save Our NHS, said: "The Minor Injuries Unit is an effective and much valued service with a high degree of patient satisfaction.

"Many signatories to the petition have used the service and were full of praise for it. There is an overwhelming feeling, voiced to us time and time again, that it is not right to concentrate so many of these services on a site which is already overloaded and difficult for many people in the city to reach."

He added: "We started this petition specifically about the Minor Injuries Unit in October because SSONHS had campaigned successfully for the MIU in 2012 and we felt there were clear arguments for retaining it at the Hallamshire. As the consultation has gone on we have heard nothing to change our minds,"

NHS Walk-in Centre on Broad Lane is also under threat

CCG bosses have previously stated the plans will simplify services and money saved from the closures will be invested to improve access to same-day GP appointments.

To take part in the consultation and let the CCG know what you think of the plans, click here.

The consultation deadline ends on January 31.