STRETFORD and Urmston MP Kate Green is demanding public involvement in decisions about urgent care at Trafford General Hospital – amid claims it could be downgraded by the summer.

Ms Green is insisting people in the borough must be involved and fully informed about decisions about the future of the Urgent Care Centre (UCC) at Trafford General Hospital.

This follows reports that the centre will soon be downgraded to a nurse-led unit.

Ms Green said that, at a meeting last week, NHS managers confirmed they have begun a process to review the future of the UCC at Trafford General.

This was part of the original plan for the New Health Deal for Trafford, which reduced the A&E to a UCC in 2013, with the intention the service would be further reduced to become a minor injuries unit within two to three years.

Ms Green said she has been told, that at this stage, a data gathering exercise is underway to look at volumes, capacity at neighbouring A&Es, and patient safety, and that no decision has been taken as to future services.

She said that this, however, is clearly at odds with warning letters reportedly issued to staff, warning that the service will be reduced in June.

Ms Green said: “Of course, the top priority must be patient safety, but reports of changes are causing uncertainty and concern for both the public and staff. NHS managers need to share all the data they have about who’s using the UCC now, and what would happen to those patients in future. We can’t have decisions taken behind closed doors.”