Hillingdon's Health and Social Care Select Committee convened on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, to discuss the future of Mount Vernon Hospital's Minor Injuries Unit (MIU). The committee heard from Leslie Watts, Chief Executive of the Hilliard Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Dr. Alan McLennan, Chief Medical Officer and Managing Director of the Hilliard Hospital Trust, regarding a proposal to transfer the MIU's services to Hillingdon Hospital.
Watts explained the proposal was driven by a history of overspending within Hillingdon's acute trust, emergency department performance issues, and the need to improve elective recovery, all while supporting staff and the planned new hospital on the Hillingdon site. She stated that the decision to transfer the MIU services is related to addressing the issue of not living within its means for urgent care. Watts stated, Health in Hillingdon, particularly around the acute trust, has had and has continued, and continues to have actually a history of overspending, so not living within its means.
Dr. McLennan provided clinical context, noting the MIU sees approximately 35-40 patients daily. He said the plan involves moving these patients to Hillingdon Hospital, which already handles 400-450 patients in its emergency department, including 200 through the urgent treatment centre. McLennan also noted that a significant portion of MIU patients come from outside the borough, including Hertfordshire and Berkshire, and often present with minor illnesses or require wound management, which could be addressed in primary care or pharmacies. Discussions have taken place with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and hospitals in Ealing, Northwick, West Heart, and Berkshire regarding alternative care options for these patients. Watts stated, We also know that Ealing, Northwick, West Heart, all of those areas, but the Berkshire hospitals as well. We've spoken to all of those teams.
Councillor Nick Denys, Chair of the Committee, raised concerns about the proposal's alignment with the NHS 10-year plan to shift care closer to communities, particularly for residents in the north of the borough. He questioned the capacity of local services to absorb patients currently seen at Mount Vernon. Dr. McLennan responded that about 50% of MIU patients require x-rays and would still need to travel to a secondary care hospital. He anticipated the remaining patients could be managed by local minor injuries units, urgent care centres, or general practices.
Councillor Martin questioned whether option three was always the goal, and asked what metrics would be used to determine if the decision to close the MIU should be reversed. Dr. McLennan said that the numbers turning up and performance would be reviewed, and that the review would take place in April. Watts said that the board made its decision in public in July. Dr. McLennan stated that the metrics for evaluating the MIU transfer include: whether patients in minor injuries are regularly getting disposed of in four hours, whether the major ED performance worsens, and what happens to the staff. He said, We'll be looking at numbers that are turning up and performance... Are we seeing those in minor injuries regularly getting disposed of... in four hours? But in truth, is our performance worse than what it is at the moment...? We will also be looking at our major ED performance as well. And also to see what happens to those staff... If we're looking at it in April, which is when we do our business planning anyway, that is the perfect time for us to do that.
Councillor Chandell asked if a formal consultation had been carried out. Watts responded that no formal consultation had been carried out, but that the ICB had been consulted. Watts also mentioned that engagement occurred with residents associations, local MPs, and councillors. Watts stated, We've met with many of the residents associations as we were asked to do. We had a meeting on Friday, actually, where all of the local MPs came to you, a number of local councillors from here came as well to explain again the rationale for our suggestion.
Councillor Hagger asked if there would be a separate unit for minor injuries. Dr. McLennan responded that there is a paediatric ED, which is completely separate.
Councillor Punja asked about the timeline for the hubs. Dr. McLennan said that twisted ankles would go to Hillingdon, and urinal infections would go to the GP.
Watts said that the transfer will take place at the end of the month, and that the board will look at the impact continuously. Councillor Nick Denys asked if the cost savings from the transfer would be a million pounds a year. Leslie Watts confirmed this, but stated that the million pounds needs to underpin the rest of the work that the acute unit does.
Councillor Nick Denys: I think, is it right, was it a million pounds a year would be saved?
Leslie Watts: Yes.
Councillor Nick Denys: I mean, how much of that money is going to be reinvested in sorting out some of those local issues that I talked about... Is it part of the plan to invest some of the money in those services, or is it just going to go back into the Hillingdon pot and go out to other probably good places?
Leslie Watts: ...there's no way that I can be able to say to you, is that we're going to put that million pounds into something else, because that million pounds needs to underpin the rest of the work that the acute unit does. That's the honest answer to that.
The Public Reports Pack contains the full agenda and supporting documents.
