THREATENED Haslemere Hospital minor injuries unit has just gained a powerful ally.

South West Surrey MP and former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has spoken out strongly in support of the centre, which is threatened with closure because it does not meet new NHS England changes to urgent care services.

The move coincides with a similar threat to Petersfield minor injuries unit.

Speaking to the Herald, Mr Hunt said it would be “absolutely crazy” to close down the unit, which treats 8,000 people annually across a wide area extending into East Hampshire and West Sussex.

A packed meeting was held in Haslemere last week by health providers Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to get feedback on what urgent care services the public values most prior to drawing up a list of options that will go out to public consultation.

Unit supporters called for the facility to be upgraded to meet the new requirements and not axed.

Picking up the cudgels, Mr Hunt has voiced his concerns directly to Dr Claire Fuller, senior responsible officer for Surrey Heartlands, the NHS umbrella organisation responsible for Guildford and Waverley, North West Surrey and Surrey Downs CCGs.

He is also planning to hold a public meeting – date not yet decided – to enable residents to question “top people from the NHS”.

Mr Hunt said: “When the Royal Surrey is buckling under pressure at the moment, it will be absolutely crazy to close down a successful minor injuries unit that will end up sending an extra 30 patients every day to the A&E in Guilford.

“I think this is a moment to show the NHS just how strongly people in Haslemere feel.

“This is a very serious and important issue. As someone who ran health service for many years, I want to use all that experience to help Haslemere protect this vital local service.

“The thing that most worries me is they’re also considering closing the minor injuries unit in Petersfield, and then you would have a great swathe between Chichester and Guildford that would really have nothing except the big hospitals.

“The bottom line is for frail, old people in Haslemere it is far better to be treated locally.”*Full details of Better Care Together proposals: www.guildfordandwaverleyccg.nhs.uk. Deadline for responses Sunday, September 29.