NEW talks on the future of Malton Hospital and its minor injuries unit (MIU) are being arranged by Ryedale MP Anne McIntosh.

Ms McIntosh made a fact-finding visit to the hospital on Friday when she met hospital staff and patients on the Ryedale Ward where 10 extra beds were opened last month.

“Opening these beds will ease the winter pressures, especially on the York and Scarborough hospitals,” she said.

“It is good for the hospitals and for the patients themselves because it will mean helping them to get home quicker after recovering at Malton Hospital.”

Ms McIntosh is due to meet Mike Proctor, deputy chief executive and chief operating officer of the York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in the next two to three weeks to discuss the future of Malton Hospital and its services, especially the MIU.

A campaign, backed by the Gazette & Herald, was launched in November after it was announced the opening hours of the MIU were to be reduced from 8am-9.30pm, seven days a week, to just 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.

More than 10,000 people have signed a petition which was handed to the NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), calling for the opening hours to be reinstated.

Ms McIntosh said: “It is vital that a hospital serving such a sparsely populated area such as Ryedale has a minor injuries unit.

“With the big farming industry we have, the important horse racing stables, and the thousands of tourists who come here every year, it is crucial that Malton retains its MIU.

“Many injuries can easily be treated here rather than people having to make long journeys to Scarborough, Hull or James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.

“The case for retaining the MIU is over-whelming and I shall be stressing this in my talks with Mr Proctor in what have become regular meetings.”

Ms McIntosh said staff at Malton Hospital were currently having to work changeable hours.

“They are being pushed from pillar to post. We must have the position settled for everyone’s benefit,” she said.

“I have the utmost respect for the doctors and nurses at the hospital, especially now when they face outside challenges to the future of the community hospital.”