BROMSGROVE’S Minor Injury Unit (MIU) is set to undergo a major transformation to increase capacity and improve patient care.
The service at the Princess of Wales Community Hospital is subject to plans to redesign and construct a new and revamped minor injury unit.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust has unveiled the new plans with aims to reduce waiting times and improve patient experiences at the centre.
Despite seeing an average of 320 patients each week, the existing layout limits the number of patients that can be treated at any one time to just three.
Responding to growing demand for the service, the Trust has committed £1.6 million to the construction of a new, larger minor injury unit adjacent to the existing facility on the hospital’s ground floor.
Alongside five new treatment rooms, the redesign will see the creation of a dedicated resus bay, specialist facilities for the treatment of eye injuries and a plaster room.
The new unit will also be conveniently located next to the existing X-ray department to further streamline the patient journey and enhance diagnostic efficiency.
Denise Lewis, director of finance at the Trust said: “This investment is expected to increase the MIU’s capacity and deliver a more comfortable, seamless experience for our patients.
“By expanding the number of treatment rooms and upgrading our facilities, we are ensuring Bromsgrove MIU remains equipped to meet the changing needs of our community.”
This announcement follows the expansion of weekend opening hours, originally piloted during the pandemic in response to growing demand for the service.
The MIU operates between 8am and 8pm seven days a week.
Dawn Shaw, MIU project lead and matron for countywide MIUs added: “The new unit will provide our team of skilled emergency nurse practitioners with the resources needed to treat a wide range of minor injuries.
“This includes burns, breaks, sprains, strains, and minor eye injuries.
“Those with minor injuries can walk-in to any of Worcestershire’s minor injury units without needing an appointment.”
Work is set to begin this week, with the new unit scheduled to open in the early summer.
The existing unit will remain operational throughout the build, minimising disruption to patients.
Visit www.hacw.nhs.uk/MIU for more information. Contact NHS 111 if you are unsure whether an MIU is the right choice for your treatment needs.
