THE Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Tavistock Hospital will re-open on Monday, January 27.

The opening times for the unit will be Monday to Friday (8am to 6pm) initially, whilst the new team continues to grow and re-establish the service, with an intention to return to a seven-day service later in the year.

The unit was closed temporarily in August due to a staffing shortage that could not be overcome in the short-term.

Caroline Dawe, care group manager for medicine, said: “Working as a nurse practitioner in a small unit requires a very specific skillset due to the need to work independently as a sole provider. This presents a complexity in recruiting the right senior nursing staff as the roles require a very specific level of expertise.

“Our plan has been to recruit nurse practitioners and embed them initially within our other MIUs. This allows them to obtain the more specialist training required for running a unit independently and will help to make the service more sustainable in the longer term.”

Colleagues in the local GP practices and Devon CCG have been instrumental in supporting a local service for the interim period and will continue to do so until the unit re-opens on January 27.

Until the unit re-opens on January 27, patients who would normally use Tavistock Minor Injuries Unit can continue to use Minor Injuries Units in Launceston, Liskeard, Okehampton or Plymouth (Cumberland Centre). 

Arrangements are in place with the following GP practices, if you are registered with the practice. The practice may be able to offer a limited alternative Minor Injury Service: Abbey; Tavyside; Yelverton and Okehampton (open to all, including non-registered patients).

If anyone has any queries, contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 01752 439884.