Countdown to share your views about temporary changes to overnight opening hours at Louth and Skegness Urgent Treatment Centres

It’s the final week for people to share their views about the temporary changes to the overnight opening hours for the Louth and Skegness Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) using the online survey.

Both UTCs, run by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS), have been temporarily closed overnight between 10pm and 8am since March to support the countywide response to the coronavirus pandemic and the latest national lockdown.

Patients who need medical treatment overnight are advised to ‘Talk before you Walk’ to access alternative local health services using NHS 111, which is available for free 24/7 over the phone, online at 111.nhs.uk or by using the NHS app.

Clinical staff who were working overnight at the UTCs have been transferred to support local patients during the daytime including medical consultations over the phone and online. Staff are also supporting patients on the Archer and Scarbrough wards at Louth and Skegness hospitals.

To date, more than 300 responses to the online survey have been received.

Tracy Pilcher, deputy chief executive and director of nursing, allied health professionals and operations at LCHS, said: “The temporary overnight closure of the Louth and Skegness UTCs has helped us to make sure that we can more effectively meet the demands and challenges we’re facing to support our local patients in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

We’ve been able to transfer our staff to support local health care services including our community nursing teams, our inpatient wards and at our Boston Urgent Treatment Centre where services remain available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Trust is very keen to find out how the temporary change in the overnight opening hours has affected local people. With one week left until the online survey closes, I’d encourage people to get involved and share their views.”

Patients in need of medical help between 10pm and 8am can still access local services, including telephone and video consultations and home visits, via the NHS 111 service available over the phone, online or by using the app.

To take part in the online survey, please visit:

https://lincolnshirecommunityhealthservices.nhs.uk/louth-and-skegness-survey

The survey will close on Friday 13 November.