Decision on plans to reduce Melton out of hours urgent care services due next month

NHS East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group (ELR CCG) asked for views on the plans in a public engagement exercise which ended last month and it is now collating the responses to that.

The CCG says urgent care services at Melton Mowbray Hospital are not being used to full capacity and the changes would save money for the authority.

It has proposed starting weekend evening appointments, which run until 9pm, at 6.30pm instead of 5pm. And services on weekends and bank holidays would continue to start from 9am but would finish two hours earlier at 5pm.

A spokesperson for the CCG told the Melton Times: “The five-week public engagement period on urgent care services ended on Tuesday July 24.

“People’s responses are currently being independently analysed by Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit before a decision is made by East Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group’s Governing Body in September.

“We thank everyone who shared their views in the survey and more information will be shared in due course.”

The new hours, if adopted, would begin when current contracts for services come to an end next March.