MINOR Injury Units (MIUs) in the county need to improve how they co-ordinate services so patients do not face long waits over several days, Healthwatch Oxfordshire has said.

Over four days in May, representatives from the consumer watchdog spoke to 62 people waiting for treatment at MIUs in Abingdon, Witney and Henley.

A new report published today noted most patients were highly satisfied with the services available at all three, but waiting times and difficulties accessing the x-ray facilities were a common complaint. In a follow-up questionnaire 12 per cent of respondents said they had waited for four to six hours to be seen.

A total of 11 out of the 33 seeking an x-ray were on their second visit as they had been unable to get one on the first attempt.

One person also said they had waited three hours before being told the x-ray facility had shut.

Healthwatch chief executive Carol Moore said: "Because of the way x-rays are commissioned the times don't match up. Lots of people turned up and by the time they were seen, the radiographer had gone home.

"Two people also waited for longer than five hours and that seemed to tip the scale; if you waited for more than five hours, your experience became very negative."

In a written response to Healthwatch, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Stuart Bell said the review had highlighted a need to advertise the x-ray service opening times and to look at how MIU staff identify people in need of an x-ray at an earlier stage.

He added that 96 per cent of people were seen and treated within the national four-hour timescale but "We recognise and are committed to keep working on this issue".