DARTMOUTH Hospital’s minor injuries unit will not reopen until the spring.

The town has been without the MIU at Dartmouth Hospital since it closed last May due to a shortage of staff.

Health chiefs had hoped the vital service would be back in operation after Christmas, but now the opening date has been delayed to enable staff training to be completed.

It could mean the town is without MIU cover over the Easter holiday period.

Liz Davenport, chief operating officer at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘The trust plans to reopen the minor injury unit at Dartmouth Community Hospital in the spring.

‘The two members of staff who were recruited to the roles are still undergoing the necessary training to ensure that they have the range of skills needed to deliver high quality and safe care.

‘We will continue update local people on our plans.’

Alison Stocks, manager and co-ordinator of Dartmouth Caring, said: ‘The town needs its own MIU and we hope it will be open as soon as possible.’

Meanwhile, Dartmouth Medical Practice will continue to provide non-emergency treatment and patients are being asked to use MIUs at Brixham Community Hospital, four miles away via the ferry, or Totnes Community Hospital, 14 miles away.

Doctors at the practice in Victoria Road said: ‘We would like to reassure patients that it is not our intention that any additional work undertaken in response to the closure will impact on our core general medical services: surgeries and clinics will not be cancelled.

‘It is our intention to work with the hospital in delivering solutions to “plug the gap” created by the closure, but this cannot include delivering a MIU within the practice.

‘Providing safe healthcare in the community is under pressure and Dartmouth is not immune to problems of recruitment and retention of staff.

‘Accepting the need for flexibility in the delivery and receipt of healthcare will be necessary to overcome the current situation.’

The MIU at the hospital was forced to close nine months ago after nurses retired and the Torbay and South Devon Health and Care NHS Trust struggled to fill the vacancies.

In September, two health professionals were taken on to run the MIU after an extensive recruitment campaign, which included the making of a promotional film, supported by Dartmouth Business Improvement District.

At the time, Dr Sonja Manton, the NHS Trust’s chief operating officer, said: ‘We are really pleased to have appointed two new members of staff.

‘Once the necessary training period is complete, they will be in post at Dartmouth Community Hospital in the new year.’

The recruitment campaign film featured the River Dart and depicted Dartmouth as an attractive place to live and work.

It had contributions from Dartmouth GP Adam Morris, medical director of Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust, and minor injuries nurse Kirstie Yelland, as well as chef Mitch Tonks.

Dr Manton said the recent recruitment campaign had attracted a lot of interest, due in part to the film.

Simon Tapley, director of commissioning at South Devon and Torbay CCG, had also welcomed the trust’s recruitment announcement.

He said at the time: ‘We are really pleased that the trust has been able to recruit specialist staff for Dartmouth.

‘This will ensure that in the new year the town’s MIU can open again, providing services that are safe for the people of Dartmouth and surrounding areas.

‘Given the issues we’ve had about recruitment for Dartmouth, we want to work with the population to look at what will ensure that these services are sustainable.’