Andover hospital's minor injuries unit is to be shut down until further notice.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Andover War Memorial Hospital, said it has taken the decision as it needs to move staff elsewhere as it adapts to the outbreak of Covid-19.

This means patients with minor injuries will have to travel to Winchester or Basingstoke to be seen. 

In a statement, a Trust spokesman said: "As Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust continues to adapt to the demands of the COVID-19 outbreak the trust is having to take a number of difficult decisions regarding the shape and structure of its services. For instance, moving outpatients to a telephone by default model.

"As part of this process we have taken the hard but necessary decision to temporarily close the minor injuries unit (MIU) at Andover War Memorial Hospital (AWMH) as of Monday, April."

The spokesman claimed the number of people using the minor injuries unit had fallen to single figures in recent days. 

The spokesman added: "We recognise that this will mean uncertainty for the users of this much loved service and aim to restore it as soon as appropriate and safe. In the interim, the public can continue to access care via NHS 111 online and – in an emergency – 999.

"The nearest emergency departments are at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (Winchester) or the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital (Basingstoke). Other services at AWMH are not affected by this announcement."