Health bosses in Oxfordshire are set to move a service for minor injuries.

Wallingford First Aid Unit (FAU) is currently based in the town's community hospital but will from next month be located in the nearby GP surgery.

The move has been planned so the unit can continue to care for patients, while at the same time ensuring Oxfordshire still complies with new NHS guidelines.

The Wallingford FAU has been closed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic while staff from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust have been redeployed to other services.

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Before the pandemic the unit was open during the same hours as Wallingford Medical Practice, a few metres away in an adjacent building, from 8am to 6.30pm weekdays.

The move, planned for the beginning of November, will see FAU treatment, which covers minor injuries that do not require and x-ray, provided by clinical staff from the GP practice during the same hours as before.

Patients will continue to access the service via an appointment through NHS 111 or through a GP, but they will not need to be registered as Wallingford patients.

Visitors to the area will also be able to carry on using the service.

Some walk-in appointments will be available within Covid-19 safety guidelines.

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Diane Hedges, deputy chief executive at Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "NHS England has issued guidance to address the variation in urgent care services around the country and reduce potential misunderstanding among the public.

"In future, all urgent care services will be designated as Emergency Departments in acute hospitals or they will be urgent treatment centres.

"Other same day access urgent care services such as FAUs or minor injury units are expected to be integrated into primary care as an alternative community service."

She added: "In some parts of England, this work has resulted in services closing.

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"It's our intention to find solutions to ensure these services are retained in Oxfordshire and are improved for local communities."

The CCG and the Wallingford Medical Practice have said they are 'confident' the change will not inconvenience patients but do want to hear the views of local people so they can 'respond to any concerns' before the change of location at the beginning of November.

Dr Hans-Joerg Paul, senior partner at the practice, said: "We are looking forward to taking over the FAU services and we hope all patients will benefit from access to more medical support.

"However, we are keen to hear from our community just in case there are any unforeseen consequences of this change which we can address and resolve."

A similar move of Chipping Norton's FAU earlier this year from its community hospital to a nearby health centre was met with opposition from residents who feared for the future of the hospital.

People can send feedback on the Wallingford plan by emailing occg.talking.health@nhs.net or write to Talking Health, Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Jubilee House 5510 John Smith Drive, Oxford, OX4 2LH by October 23.