'Use us' call by Ludlow Community Hospital

Bosses at the community hospital say not enough people realise the amount of facilities that are available at the hospital in Gravel Hill.

With children on school holidays and an influx of visitors to the area of Easter they are telling people not to forget the minor injuries unit.

Using Ludlow will also relieve pressure on Shropshire's main hospitals, they say.

The unit housed in the hospital is open from 8am-8pm seven days a week, while the X-ray department runs from 9am-3pm.

Katie Turton,, clinical leader at the hospital, said: "As well as MIU we have a 24 bedded ward, an outpatients' clinic, physiotherapy, podiatry and X-ray facilities."

She said the hospital still found that people were travelling many miles to a main hospital or going to their doctor.

Surprised

"We try to educate them and say, come straight to us, you don't have to go to your GP unit or a busy hospital.

"When they do come to us they are surprised at what we can do for them."

She said that even when the x-ray department was closed, people with simple breaks could still be treated.

"If a patient comes in and we suspect a broken bone, if there are no 'red flags' raised we can treat them and have them back in for an x-ray the next day. You may not need to go to the main hospital, you can come to us."

Leigh Dalton, team leader at Ludlow, said using the local hospital's facilities saved individuals time but also eased the pressure on the main hospital units.

"People who arrive with us rarely have a long waiting time, they are seen pretty quickly. There is also the ease of access, not having to search for a car parking space."

"We are open from 8am until 8pm although from 5pm the main door is shut but if people ring the bell someone will come to them."

Last year Ludlow Hospital celebrated the opening of its refurbished X-ray unit and new X-ray equipment bought by the League of Friends. The League donated £158,000 to the scheme.