OVERNIGHT medical care in Stroud will next week become a thing of the past.

From Tuesday November 1, the town’s Minor Injuries and Illness Unit (MIIU) will implement its new opening and closing hours.

The nurse-led unit at Stroud General Hospital on Trinity Road will now be open from 8am until 11pm, seven days a week.

The move puts an end to the 24/7 medical care in the district, meaning patients from Stroud will now have to travel to A&E in Gloucester or Cheltenham for out of hours medical attention.

Councillors are concerned this will pose serious problems for elderley people and those without access to transport.

The change follows a controversial public consultation through the summer months.

A community campaign saw hundreds attend meetings, rallies and protests to try and stop the overnight closure.

Despite their opposition, a final decision was made at a meeting of Gloucestershire Care Service’s Trust Board in September 2016.

MIIUs provide care and treatment for urgent, but not life-threatening, healthcare needs such as sprains, cuts and wounds, skin problems.

The MIIU at Cirencester Hospital will also switch to an 8am-11pm, seven days a week system on Tuesday November 1.