Choosing services wisely this Christmas and New Year

This winter with increasing seasonal pressure on the NHS combined with junior doctors in England taking industrial action, our Chief Nurse, Nicky Reeves, joined other senior health leaders in Sussex to encourage the public to choose services wisely.

Last night (20 December) she spoke to ITV Meridian News about the important role Minor Injury Units (MIUs) play in supporting patients who need medical support but whose conditions are not life threatening.

She said: “Minor Injury Units like ours play a really pivotal role in the NHS and certainly in Sussex. There are a lot of conditions that we can see here and manage which support the A&Es to ensure they can focus on the major and emergency cases that need to go through an A&E.”

The QVH MIU is open 8am-8pm daily, run by emergency practitioners who are well-trained and experienced specialist nurses who are able to assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of minor injuries and ailments for both adults and children over one year old. There are no doctors in the unit.

They can help with the following conditions:

• Acute limb injuries including fractures, wounds, sprains and strains
• Bites and stings
• Cuts and grazes and wounds
• Ear and throat infections
• Foreign bodies in the eyes, ears, nose
• Sore throats
• Acute lower back pain
• Minor allergic reactions
• Minor burns and scalds
• Minor head injuries with no loss of consciousness (anyone aged over 65 years may be referred to A&E for further assessment and management)
• Minor nose bleeds
• Simple eye infections such as conjunctivitis or scratches to the eye
• Simple urinary tract infections (UTI) (females aged 17 or over, who have not had a UTI in the last three months).
• Minor skin infections
• Suspected arm and lower leg broken bones (children under the age of four should be taken to A&E).

For more information visit the MIU page here on our website.