Hythe Hospital's minor injuries unit has been closed temporarily as its bosses launch a recruitment drive to find the staff who can keep it open.

The unit treats around 2,500 patients a year and has been dealing with a variety of non-serious injuries including cuts, bruises, sprains, strains and some eye problems for generations.

But it has been closed "in the interests of patient safety" and a New Forest Primary Care Trust spokesman said the closure was likely to last for "a matter of weeks".

She added that the Trust was "actively seeking to recruit new staff" and its head of professional practice and quality Heather Wood explained: "We are experiencing difficulties in ensuring that there are enough expert staff to cover this unit.

"This is partly due to key staff being unwell and unable to return to work until they are fully recovered and partly to a need to recruit more staff.

"It has also proved difficult for us to redeploy enough existing staff to cover as they are required to meet the needs of patients in other parts of the PCT.

"On evaluating the situation we felt it would be in the best interest of clinical and patient safety to announce the temporary closure of the unit. We will be working hard to minimise the impact of the closure and to make everyone aware of the changes that will be taking place."

The unit is based at Hythe Hospital, which has recently undergone a massive refurbishment scheme. It treats around 2,500 patients per year and its normal opening hours have been 8am to 10pm seven days a week.

New Forest councillor and former community health council chairman Maureen Robinson said she accepted there were difficulties and scorned any suggestion of long-term closure plans. She said: "In view of the amount of investment the Primary Care Trust has put into Hythe Hospital and the fact that I know how highly valued this unit is by the community, I am confident there would never be anything underhand."

The nearest alternatives are the minor injuries unit at Lymington Hospital and the accident and emergency department at Southampton General Hospital.

Patients can also contact their general practitioners or ring NHS Direct on 0845 4647.