HEALTH chiefs are to be called to account over a decision to close Minehead Hospital's minor injuries unit overnight.

West Somerset Council's scrutiny committee agreed this week to ask representatives of the Somerset Partnership and Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group to attend its April meeting to explain the closure, which came into force last Wednesday and could last until August.

The Free Press revealed last week that a shortage of trained staff was behind the decision, which means the doors of the emergency nurse practitioner-led unit are now closed from 11pm until 7am.

Cllr Mandy Chilcott told a meeting of the district council's scrutiny committee on Monday that she wanted the issue discussed as soon as possible.

"A lot of people have been telling me things and I'd like to get to the bottom of the issues," she said.

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