TODAY the Argus joins forces with a Gwent AM to help save a vital hospital service in Blaenau Gwent.

The minor injuries unit at the £53 million Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan, in Ebbw Vale, which opened just two-and-a-half years ago, will close unless more people use it.

The unit must see and treat at least 25 patients a day but until recently, average daily attendance has been less than half that.

Now the Argus and Blaenau Gwent AM Alun Davies are calling on Aneurin Bevan Health Board to keep the service going - and for people living in and around the county borough, the message is clear: Use It Or Lose It.

Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan's minor injuries unit can deal with a range of limb injuries, minor head injuries, burns and scalds, sprains and insect bites.

Run by a dedicated staff of specialist nurses, backed up with x-ray facilities, it has a vital role to play, Monday-Friday, as an alternative to A&E.

The problem is that not enough people know it is there, what it provides, and when it is open.

"Since Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan opened (in Autumn 2010), there has been an extremely good minor injuries unit there, with great facilities, staff and service," said Mr Davies, who also wants to see an out-of-hours GP service and a 24-hour pharmacy based at the hospital.

"I want to work alongside the health board to help people understand the unit's role, how it can help them, and how important it is for Blaenau Gwent."

"I'm delighted the Argus is getting involved too. This service is too important to lose."

Emergency nurse practitioners who run the unit must see at least 25 patients with a classified minor injury every day to maintain and develop their skills. That is the minimum required to safeguard standards of care.

A recent extension of opening hours to Monday-Friday, 9am-7pm - the unit is closed at weekends and Bank Holidays - has helped boost attendances, giving people the chance to attend after work - but the daily flow of patients remains unstable.

With the A&E department at Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital increasingly busy with more serious cases, the unit has a vital role to play in easing demand, with staff able to deal with cases much more quickly, saving patients an otherwise lengthy wait.

And if a patient has to be referred on to Nevill Hall, for further treatment or a follow-up clinic, these can be arranged by minor injuries unit staff for a set time, again to prevent a lengthy wait.

• Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan is at Lime Avenue, Ebbw Vale, on part of the former steelworks site. The correct postcode is NP23 6GL, though on some map systems it can be found by inputting NP23 8XE. If in doubt whether to attend, contact the unit on 01495 363318.

- WHEN Paul and Hayley Doorhof's son Ethan was hurt falling out of his car seat recently, his dad headed straight for Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan.

The two-and-a-half year-old banged his head and sustained a nasty black eye in the fall, but Mr Doorhof knew the minor injuries unit was the place for him.

"I'd been over there myself a few weeks ago. I work on the lorries and caught and cut a thumb on a chute," said Mr Doorhof, of Tredegar.

"They dressed that and the service was great. I went straight in, and when I took Ethan there was one other person before us.

"They were brilliant with him, checked him over, and it was done very quickly. Obviously they can only deal with certain things, but it's very important because sometimes you can go to Nevill Hall and be there for hours.

"After they patched up my thumb, I needed to go to Nevill Hall for a follow-up, but the Ebbw Vale nurses set that appointment up for me.

"When I went to Nevill Hall I didn't have to wait. I was straight in, they knew I'd been to the minor injuries unit first and what I had come to them for.

"I can't fault the minor injuries unit and hope it can be kept open. It's a great service and very convenient."

-ANEURIN Bevan Health Board is "very supportive" of moves to try to increase minor injuries unit attendances at Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan.

It undertook an awareness campaign in February, which increased attendances from an average eight to 12 a day.

The extension of opening hours, introduced early in March, along with additional radiology support, brought an initial increase to 20 patients a day.

"However, the last week of March saw attendances fall again, with a low point of just nine patients on one day, with around one patient a day being redirected to a major emergency department," said a health board statement.

"Emergency Nurse Practitioner cover is available during opening hours, and in order to meet national standards and guidance for safety, 25 patients must be treated each day for a recognised minor injury. This is to ensure staff have the experience, skills and knowledge to maintain their clinical competence.

"We will continue to raise awareness in the local community and closely monitor attendances over the coming months, and are grateful for this additional support."

*Are you affected by this issue? Please contact andy.rutherford@gwent-wales.co.uk Join the debate on Twitter using #saveMIU or follow AM Davies @AlunDaviesAM and on facebook.com/AMAlunDavies