| Six of Somerset’s MIUs are getting a new name from 1 April – Urgent Treatment Centres (or UTC for short).
The UTCs provide exactly the same service as the MIU, from the same team of specialist nurses, paramedics and healthcare assistants, and the simple name change just brings them in line with units across the country.
Somerset’s UTCs run seven days a week, from 8am to 9pm (last patient at 8:30pm), from the community hospitals in Bridgwater, Chard, Frome, Minehead, Shepton Mallet and West Mendip (Glastonbury).
Burnham-on-Sea Community Hospital will remain as an MIU as the hours are slightly shorter – 10am to 6pm (last patient at 5:30pm) – and, unlike the other six, it doesn’t have x-ray facilities.
Patients don’t need an appointment to attend, although we’d recommend they contact NHS 111 first to ensure the UTC is the right place for their problem…and there’s free parking too.
Common examples of what our UTCs and MIU can treat include:
- Sprains and strains
- Broken bones (no x-ray available at Burnham-on-Sea)
- Cuts and wounds
- Bites
- Minor head injuries.
- Chest infections
- Throat infections
- Eye infections
- Urinary infections
- Emergency contraception
Our advice to members of the public is if they’re not sure which service they need, we’d strongly encourage they contact the 24/7 free NHS 111 telephone health advice line.
For life-threatening emergencies such as heart attacks, strokes, unconsciousness and breathing problems call 999, we ask that people do not attend a UTC or MIU |
