TWO minor injury units are set to close in Worcestershire as nurses prepare to strike on Thursday (December 15).
Due to staffing pressures, Malvern and Tenbury minor injury units will be closed.
Bromsgrove and Evesham minor injury units will remain open.
Nurses across the UK are expected to start strike action as part of a row over pay on Thursday.
The strikes are taking place after a dispute between the Royal College of Nursing union and the Government over pay and patient safety issues.
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However, patients who have an appointment at Worcestershire Royal Hospital on Thursday are being advised to arrive at the hospital as normal unless they are told otherwise.
Matthew Hopkins, who is the chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, has advised patients they are working hard to minimise the impact of the strike.
He said: "Plans are in place to ensure our most vulnerable patients – including those requiring urgent and emergency surgery, or urgent planned surgery for cancer or other life-threatening conditions, and cancer patients on two-week wait pathways – continue to be cared for.
"Services which provide urgent or critical care will also be maintained.
Where services have to be reduced, we will do everything we can to keep this to a minimum.
"Patients with an appointment on either of the planned strike days are asked to attend as normal unless you hear from us directly.
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"Where appointments are affected, we will try to rearrange them as soon as we can. Nobody should put off seeking urgent or emergency care during the strikes.
"Where services have to be reduced, we will do everything we can to keep this to a minimum."
The Trust has also advised members of the public to reduce delays by only using the Emergency Department for serious injuries and illnesses and to use the NHS 111 online service to get the needed advice.
The next planned industrial action will take place on Tuesday, December 20 following a ballot of members of the Royal College of Nursing Union over the Autumn.
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