THE number of patients using the minor injuries unit at Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan in Ebbw Vale has risen to more than 30 a day.

And the increase has taken place mostly in the four weeks since the Argus and Blaenau Gwent AM Alun Davies launched a campaign to encourage more people to use the unit, or risk its closure.

The unit must see and treat every day a minimum of 25 people with a recognised minor injury, but with daily attendances barely half that, Aneurin Bevan Health Board earlier this year considered closing the unit.

Instead, in an attempt to boost attendances, opening hours were reorganised and specialist nurse cover increased, moves which brought an increase in use, albeit inconsistent.

Since the Argus and Mr Davies' Use It Or Lose It campaign started however, Ana Kimche, senior nurse in emergency care, said there had been a noticeable difference in the numbers coming to the unit.

"The numbers have increased dramatically, and the unit is certainly much busier now," said Mrs Kimche.

"We have national guidelines that tell us how many patients we need to see to make a service viable. The staff need to maintain their skills to practise safely, and the safety element underpins everything."

The Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan unit can see and treat patients with a range of limb injuries, minor head injuries, burns and scalds, sprains and insect bites, and is emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) led.

The opening hours were changed to Monday-Friday, 9am-7pm, but just as importantly, ENP cover was improved.

"We've made sure there is an ENP here at all times who is qualified to see, treat and discharge patients," said Mrs Kimche.

"That wasn't available previously, and we've had to rely on support from Nevill Hall Hospital and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr to provide suitably trained nurses.

"This unit has x-ray support, but you still need someone here who is able to interpret them, and ENPs can do that.

"We have other nurses who can see and treat patients, but the big change here is being able to offer a more rounded service."

Emergency nurse practitioner Kim Knight said the unit is averaging 34 patients a day at the moment.

"It can range from 25 to 48-50, which is really busy," she said.

But even the lower end of that range is twice as many patients per day as were using the unit when the Argus first visited last November, and Mrs Knight added that it was now "much busier than before, and especially in the past three or four weeks."

THE current opening hours and other arrangements at the unit will be reviewed by Aneurin Bevan Health Board at the end of July.

The campaign by the Argus and Alun Davies AM has attracted support from sporting organisations, community leaders and individuals in Blaenau Gwent.

It seeks to boost awareness of the unit and what its staff can treat, and to encourage people to use it as an alternative where appropriate to the A&E unit at Nevill Hall. The overall aim is simple, to boost attendances and make the health board's final decision following its review a simple one: To keep it open.

* 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.