Health board opens pop-up weekend minor injuries unit to deal with overloaded hospital A&E
by Abbie Wightwick · Wales OnlineA health board is taking the unusual step of opening a minor injuries unit for walk in appointments this weekend to ease pressure on accident and emergency units facing "unprecedented demand". Hywel Dda Health Board's same day urgent care service is open between 9am - 6pm this weekend January 11 and 12 for patients to walk in without appointments at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre.
The service will be led by advanced nurse practitioners. They can assess, diagnose and treat walk-in patients for a variety of injuries and illnesses who are then able to go home the same day with referrals or a plan of care if necessary.
Welsh hospital are under huge pressure from an onslaught of different viruses which are seeing people admitted to wards as well as ongoing pressure on already overloaded accident and emergency units. Wales and the rest of the UK are dealing with three different flu viruses, along with RSV — respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of coughs and colds — and Covid-19. The large number of people being admitted has seen ambulances queued up outside hospitals unable to offload their patients and hundreds of people admitted as five viruses cause havoc to the NHS.
Announcing the service on social media the health board said: “Our hospitals are currently dealing with unprecedented demand, which is leading to significant delays in care provision and long waits in A&E. If you have a condition which could be seen and treated at Cardigan’s Integrated Care Centre, we would strongly encourage you to attend as you can be seen more quickly, as well as helping to relieve pressure on the hospital system.”
The health board said that children over 12 months can be seen for minor injuries and children over five years can be seen for minor illnesses too.
Conditions which advanced nurse practitioners can see include:
• Chest Infections
• Wound Infections
• Tonsillitis / sore throat
• Ear Infections
• Minor Chest/Hip/Pelvic/Back injuries – Patient must be able to mobilise
• Minor Head Injury
• Non-cardiac chest pain
• Skin complaints including rashes, infections, and sunburn
• Sprains, strains & soft tissue injuries
• Hay fever, Mild allergic reactions
• Minor injuries - cuts, wounds
• Minor eye injuries, complaints and irritations requiring irrigation, and Chemical eye injury
• Emergency contraception
• Suspected fractures and injuries to knee, lower leg, ankle, and feet
• Suspected fractures and injuries to arms
• Animal, insect, or human bites
• Minor burns & scalds
• Removal of foreign bodies from eyes, ears, nose & skin
X Ray facilities aren't available at the weekend but patients can be assessed, advised and referred to main hospital sites if needed. The health board said that patients in need of more urgent care should go to an A&E department or in a medical life-threatening emergency, dial 999.
Patients wanting to speak with a triage nurse at the centre first to discuss their condition can call 01239 803075.
Public Health Wales has reporteds 60 hospital admissions for RSV — respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of coughs and colds — during the last week, along with 33 admissions for Covid-19. Of the total 164 people in hospital for RSV, five were in critical care, and of the 176 in hospital for Covid-19, one was in critical care.