A LOCAL councillor has been working behind the scenes to progress the possibility of reinstating the Minor Injuries Unit in Ross-on-Wye.

Earlier this year Cllr Ed O’Driscoll brought a motion to Herefordshire Council calling for two units to be reinstated in the county. The motion was passed unanimously by members.

Cllr O’Driscoll said that he had taken part in a Cabinet briefing with Simon Trickett, chief executive of the NHS Herefordshire & Worcestershire Integrated Care Board, which oversees the minor injury units in the area, and added: “I’m encouraged that Mr Trickett has agreed the integrated Care Board will work with Herefordshire Council to develop a clear plan for what a 21st-century minor injuries unit could look like in a market town like Ross..

“This will help shape a proposal for the new chief executive of Wye Valley NHS Trust later this year.

“This is not a quick fix, but it’s a constructive step in the right direction.

“The support of Cabinet, cross-party councillors, and now senior NHS leadership is exceptionally welcome.

“I’ll keep pushing for a model that reflects what residents have told me they want: urgent care that’s local, accessible, and helps takes pressure off A&E in Hereford.

“Thank you to everyone who’s supported this campaign so far. I’ve been very encouraged by the messages of support I’ve received, particularly from local health professionals.

Cllr O’Driscoll said previously: “The public know these minor injury units work and their support for them is overwhelming.

“When the unit closed in Ross at the outset of the pandemic, over 1,500 people signed a petition demanding its return.

“Since publicising this motion, I have been contacted by hundreds of people on how to make these units work again and improve on what went before and make them fit for the 21st Century.