The decision to close Altrincham Hospital’s minor injuries unit (MIU) has prompted a demand for special meeting of Trafford council.

Liberal Democrats have submitted a formal request to Trafford mayor Cllr Amy Whyte for the meeting to debate ‘the future of urgent care’ at the hospital.

It follows Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board’s decision to permanently close the MIU and direct patients to Wythenshawe Hospital.

The MIU has been closed since the first Covid lockdown four years ago when specialist emergency nursing staff were redeployed to Wythenshawe.

Health bosses have cited a national recruitment shortage of such nurses as one of the reasons for the unit’s permanent closure.

But they also say standalone urgent treatment centres which are not located next to accident and emergency hubs are no longer in line with current NHS policy.

Nevertheless, newly-elected Altrincham and Sale West MP Connor Rand stood up in the House of Commons last week to make his maiden speech calling for the MIU to be saved.

Trafford’s Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Shaun Ennis said: “Members of the public rightly expect their local representatives to take a clear view and to meet properly to debate issues as important as this.  

“Trafford council has failed to take a clear view, with members from the ruling Labour group managing to vote three different ways when the future of Altrincham Hospital came to the health committee.

“Let’s put it all out there on the record. The Liberal Democrats clearly oppose the loss of urgent care provision in Altrincham. Our policy is that Altrincham should have an urgent treatment centre, just like Trafford General.  

“We do not accept that services should be lost out of Trafford or that Wythenshawe Hospital can take the added strain any longer.  That’s why a special meeting is needed.  It’s what people expect.”

It is understood that to call for a special meeting of the council, it needs the signatures of at least five councillors. The Liberal Democrats have six.

If the mayor does not agree to hold the meeting, it could then be referred to the council’s chief executive Sara Todd.

This means the earliest such a meeting could be held would be Tuesday October 1, and the latest during the following week.

Deputy leader Liberal Democrat Cllr Will Frass added: “Back in July the council voted through a number of new strategic objectives including ideas like providing fair and accessible health services.  Forcing patients to seek treatment outside of Trafford and putting more car journeys onto the roads is the exact opposite of what we need.”