Dr Ruth Bath, clinical lead at newton Abbot Urgent Treatment Center, talks about what conditions our minor injuries units and urgent treatment centres can provide support with and why it is so vital to choose the right service when you need help.
Urgent treatment centres (UTC) and minor injuries units (MIU) provide medical care and help for when somebody needs to be seen the same day for an urgent problem, which can’t wait, but is not a life-threatening emergency. They can help with many of the problems peopel often go to an Emergency Department (ED) for.
Choosing the right service when help is needed is so critically important for services across the healthcare system to manage the demands they experience.
The units can provide care and treatment for a range of minor injuries and illnesses. this includes wounds, (cuts, lacerations and grazes), burns and scalds, sprains and strains, broken bones, bites and stings, low risk head injuries (no blood thinners or loss of consciousness) and eye problems, and minor illnesses including throat, ear and eye infections.
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The units are run by a team of highly qualified nurse and paramedic practitioners who have experience and expertise in treating minor injuries.
our services,however,aren’t suitable for all patients. We often see people who should have contacted their GP,visited a pharmacy or self-cared at home. This includes headaches, male water infections (UTIs), routine wound care and chronic disease management or longstanding illness. If an infection has not responded to a course of antibiotics,the urgent treatment centre or minor injuries unit will not be able to offer option treatment.
We would encourage patients to try and contact their GP practice in the first instance. While we are aware GPs are under enormous pressure this remains critically important, especially if the issue is an ongoing health problem or concern.
We unluckily see many people needing wounds redressed. This isn’t a service our units routinely offer as it frequently enough requires specialised dressings that our units don’t stock. As part of a t