THE minor injuries unit at Pershore Cottage hospital has been shut until further notice due to a shortage of nurses.

South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust has closed the unit after staff sickness left it unable to operate.

Patients who turn up at the unit are now being turned away and told to make the journey to the minor injuries unit at Evesham Community Hospital.

June Patel, director of clinical services and nursing at the Trust, said the decision was "regrettable", but managers were working hard to try and recruit staff to get the unit up and running. "We have had sickness for some time and have been trying desperately to obtain cover, but it is very important to get staff with the appropriate qualifications," she said.

"We are trying every day to get those staff in as we are desperate to get the unit re-opened because it is very valued by the people of Pershore.

"The challenge at the moment is getting the right people in who have experience of minor injuries units, as anything can come through the door and big decisions need to be made.

"It isn't staffing problems. It really is sickness that we can't always predict, and it is unfortunate it happened at this time."

Mrs Patel said as far as she was aware there had been no complaints from patients about the closure of the unit.

It has not been operating since the Jubilee weekend when sickness reached a peak.

Sir Michael Spicer, MP for West Worcestershire, said the decision to close the unit was "outrageous".

"This decision calls into question the PCT's whole commitment to the future of community hospitals, and it is quite extraordinary a temporary shortage of staff should have been used as an excuse to make a closure of this nature.

"Those who have taken the decision, from the chairman of the PCT downwards, should be ashamed of themselves."