Awareness of Minor Injuries Units
They offer advice and treatment for a variety of injuries including cuts, grazes, wounds, sprains, minor eye injuries, strains and minor burns.
We wanted to explore levels of awareness amongst the public of Minor Injuries Units. We carried out a Survey at various locations across the County. 635 people completed our survey. You can read our findings and the NHS response to our Reports below.
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Main Findings
- While most respondents had heard of Minor Injuries Units, more information about them is needed
- People have heard of Minor Injuries Units, but they don’t necessarily know which injuries they can treat or when they are open
- Those that had not heard of Minor Injuries Units would like a leaflet through the door as the MAIN way to receive information
- Most people who had attended a Minor Injuries Unit in the last 12 months had a good experience
- People told us the MIU service offer could be improved – we heard about long waiting times, that MIUs were not always open when they were needed or that opening hours should be extended, and that X-Ray facilities were not always available
- Location – MIUs are important local services, but people living in Worcester and Redditch do not have direct access to a Minor Injuries Unit
- Better information about MIUs and having these available locally may help to take pressure off busy A&E Departments.
- Out of Hours – Most people are aware of the message about contacting NHS 111, but will telephone rather than going online. Some people find out of hours services confusing
- Online information about MIUs could be more consistent
- The NHS System is reviewing MIU provision in Worcestershire, including looking at X-Ray opening times and Urgent Treatment Centres
Recommendations
We recommended that MIU’s are further publicised, using a range of methods and formats including leaflets. Information should target people who are less aware of MIU’s and should consider the needs of people who do not have English as their first language. Some Frequently Asked Questions providing more detail about what MIU’S can do would be useful. Online information should be reviewed so that it is consistent and accurate, and the NHS in Worcestershire should consider having a single source of online information locally.
The NHS should communicate the outcomes of the review of MIU services, including the Bromsgrove MIU extended hours pilot and the potential implementation of Urgent Treatment Centres.
