Search the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust website
Worcestershire’s minor injury units ready to help as NHS encourages people to know their healthcare options
With local emergency departments facing unprecedented demand, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, which runs four of Worcestershire’s minor injury units (MIU) is encouraging the public to use their local MIUs and other alternatives to emergency departments this autumn.
Minor injury units across Worcestershire are open 7 days a week, offering advice and treatment to anyone with a minor injury.
Located in Bromsgrove, Evesham, Malvern, Tenbury and Kidderminster, MIU’s provide advice and treatment for a variety of minor injuries including cuts, grazes, wounds, sprains, minor eye injuries, strains and minor burns.
Emma Webber, Head of Care Group for Urgent and Emergency Care, Community Hospitals and Specialist Services at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said "Many people don't realise how much our MIUs can help with. We see patients of all ages with a wide range of minor injuries, and our highly skilled teams can assess, treat and advise on many conditions that might otherwise lead people to think they need to attend an emergency department.”
“As we move into autumn and our local emergency departments continue to experience very high demand, we're encouraging people to consider all their healthcare options and choose the service that best meets their needs."
Dr Jules Walton, Chief Medical Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said “Our Emergency Departments at the Alexandra and Worcestershire Royal Hospital are extremely busy and our ED teams are working exceptionally hard to care for growing numbers of patients. For patients with a wide variety of injuries that are non-life or limb threatening, local MIUs can offer high quality care with often shorter waiting times for treatment, potentially much closer to home.”
While MIUs are unable to treat illnesses, there are lots of other healthcare options available.
Local pharmacies offer expert advice on a range of common conditions, as well as medicines for minor ailments or illnesses such as colds, sore throats, tummy troubles, and much more.
NHS 111 is an easy and convenient way for people to get more urgent help for a wide range of physical and mental health conditions.
It can assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, including minor injury units, out of hours GP appointments, emergency dental appointments and consultations with a pharmacist. If needed 111 can arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic or provide self-treatment advice over the phone.
The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be accessed online by visiting 111.nhs.uk for patients aged 5 and over, or by calling 111.
The locations and opening times for local minor injury units can be found on the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust website - www.hacw.nhs.uk/MIU.