Minor injuries unit to open at weekend

Minor injuries unit to open at weekend

26 February 2014

A NEW minor injuries service is being launched at the Downe Hospital this weekend. It will operate on Saturdays and Sundays as part of a pilot project being spearheaded by the South Eastern Trust.

Available between 9am and 5pm, the Trust says its new service is designed to mitigate its decision to temporarily axe weekend emergency department services at the Downpatrick hospital which it has blamed on a shortage of middle grade doctors.

Trust officials insist the introduction of the new minor injury service is not viewed as a replacement for A&E provision at the Downe and efforts are continuing to recruit the doctors needed to allow the emergency department to reopen at the weekends.

The new minor injuries service will be staffed by a nurse practitioner and two other nurses who will be able to liaise with doctors manning the out-of-hours GP facility also based at the Downpatrick hospital.

Kate McDowell, who is one of the lead nurses in charge of the new service, said it will be able to treat “safely, effectively and competently” anyone who presents themselves with a minor injury.

In addition to dealing with a range of sports injuries, minor lacerations and being able to suture wounds, Kate said the new service can deal with what she described as “simple, uncomplicated fractures.”

She continued: “We can order x-rays and have these viewed by consultants at the Ulster Hospital if we have any concerns. We can reset minor breaks in bones, providing assistance to people with complicated fractures before patients are transferred.”

The lead nurse explained staff who will man the new service have attended a range of special courses and are trained children’s nurses as well.

She said the new weekend service is not designed to treat children under five, explaining if a concerned parent brought a young child to the Downe, the patient would be triaged and referred to the GP out-of-hours service when a decision would be taken to treat the child locally or refer them to a Belfast hospital. Kate said children over five can be treated at the Downe when the minor injuries service is operational.

Asked about a scenario where a child suffering a fitting episode arrived at the unit, Kate said an out-of-hours GP would be contacted with the case treated as an emergency.

“First aid would be provided with a 999 call made to get the child taken to Belfast. If someone arrives suffering from a stroke or cardiac condition for example they will also be immediately transferred as well,” she said.

“As part of the new service we are liaising closely with the Ambulance Service but would remind people that we are offering a minor injuries service. We are not providing an emergency department service.”

Kate added: “What we are providing is a safe and effective service and while it’s a pilot, it’s something we have been doing for many years. The new service has access and support from GPs which is also important.

“We do not want people to travel distances with lacerations or fractures or a bite, sting or scalds. These are things we can adequately and competently deal with here. We are specialists in minor injury and this is not a new concept as it’s something I have been doing for the past 16 years.”