PLANS to keep minor injury units across North Essex open have been rubber stamped.

Earlier this year the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group launched a consultation into the future of the services, and it was feared units in Colchester, Clacton and Harwich could be closed in a bid to save cash.

But bosses voted unanimously at the group’s board meeting at the Venture Centre in Lawford to keep the units open and hope they will eventually take on more services to take the pressure off the A&E department at Colchester General Hospital.

Dr Hasan Chowhan, the clinical director of the commission group said he wanted to ensure people knew where they could get the most effective treatment.

He said: “We need to make sure it is as simple as possible for our patients.

“People need to know where they should go.”

Dr Chowhan said talks had already begun with GP services about the changes to the system which could could eventually see them working longer hours and taking on more appointments per week.

He also stressed patients learning how to care for themselves would be crucial in the plan being successful.

More details about how exactly the new service will work are set to be revealed at the board’s next meeting in July, but it is expected ambulance service staff will be able to take patients directly to the minor injury units, rather than A&E, if they believe it is where they will get the most appropriate care.

The new service will initially be housed in the existing buildings but could, in the future, be run by consortiums made up of a number of GP practices which join together.

Bosses say the changes, which would come into effect in April next year,would also see a more clinical-led 111 telephone service for patients to make sure no-one attends A&E unnecessarily.