Keswick’s Urgent Treatment Centre is closed for six days this week due to staff sickness.
The centre is closed from today, Tuesday December 16 and it is planned to reopen on Monday December 22.
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the centre, said it had to take the decision due to current levels of illness.
It said the urgent treatment centre at Penrith and A&E departments at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven were still open as usual.
The opening hours for Penrith Urgent Treatment Centre are 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.
Penrith Urgent Treatment Centre is equipped to diagnose and treat many of the most common ailments. A&E departments have to prioritise the most serious cases first so if your condition is less serious, but cannot wait until you can see a GP, a UTC may be the best place for you.
Imran Devji, chief operating officer at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our priority is always on safety and if we do not have safe staffing levels, we have to take some difficult decisions.
“By temporarily closing Keswick Urgent Treatment Centre this week, we can make sure we have staffing levels in place at Penrith Urgent Treatment Centre to continue to provide safe and high quality care.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and we are grateful for everyone’s patience and understanding while we work hard to re-open the Centre as soon as possible.”
