The minor injuries and urgent care centre operating at Rutland Memorial Hospital is set for a change, with a consultation due to start in the new year. 

An extraordinary meeting of the health and wellbeing board was held last week so that board members could approve the start of a consultation, which will likely see the reclassifying of the service as a minor injury and illness combined service. 

Under the proposals the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) is also proposing to spend money on upgrading the facility on Cold Overton Road, Oakham, using money from housing developers. 

There will be some walk-in capacity, with patients encouraged to book appointments through their GP or the NHS 111. 

Deputy chief executive of the LLR ICB Debra Mitchell said the aim was to 'simplify and consolidate' the service, which is a minor injuries unit by day and an urgent care centre in the evenings and at weekends – a switch that has caused some confusion for patients. 

Ms Mitchell said it had been an option to not continue same-day care in Rutland, but because of the rural nature of the county and transport issues, the ICB wanted to maintain a local service. 

She said: "They are run from the same accommodation by the same provider but they currently offer different types of services. 

"The signposting is quite complex and not very clear and the feedback we have had from Healthwatch and the public are that the services are confusing and they don't know where to go for each element. 

"Our proposal is to replace the current minor injuries service and urgent care with a minor illness and minor injury combined service that will run from upgraded accommodation within Rutland Memorial Hospital." 

Ms Mitchell said the service will run for a minimum of eight hours a day, with a suggestion that it runs from 1pm to 9pm. 

The current minor injuries unit is open 10am to 6pm and then switches to an urgent care centre from 6.30pm to 9pm and from 9am to 7pm at weekends. The information given to the board yesterday did not say which services would be available at the remodelled service but Debra Mitchell did say the aim was to increase x-ray capacity to five days a week from its current two-day provision. 

She said: "The principal of having a bookable appointment service allows us to get more patients seen through the day as opposed to walk in, and it fits with the overall LLR urgent and emergency care strategy of  'talk before you walk' with the principle of making sure that patients get access to see the right professional when they need to be seen. 

"We want to maximise the use of pharmacy first and direct booking to be explored as part of this increased business case." 

Figures on how many people currently use the minor injuries unit at Rutland Memorial Hospital were not given, nor was the number of increased appointments that may be on offer. 

The current contract with DHU Health runs until spring 2025, but Ms Mitchell said discussions were taking place about an extension with the new system due to start from April 2026. 

Director of public health for the county, Mike Sandys, said he was in favour of the proposal as he thinks 'it is a really good idea' and Janet Underwood, who chairs Rutland Healthwatch,  was also complimentary. 

She said: "One of the very first conversations [when Debra Mitchell started in post] I had was about urgent care and we must keep it in Rutland – so the developments are really, really welcome, so thank you for that." 

Speaking after the meeting, the chair of the health and wellbeing board Cllr Diane Ellison (Lib Dem) said she thinks the changes will be an improvement. 

She said: "The building is underused and it is a fantastic facility, so why not get more out of it."