Think Dartmoor Urgent Treatment Centre and help keep the Emergency Department for those who need it most
If you visit our Emergency Department (ED), you may notice a few changes. Since our new, on-site Urgent Treatment Centre at the Dartmoor Building opened two months ago, we have seen around 40–50 patients come to the ED with conditions that could be safely treated at UTC Dartmoor.
To make sure everyone is seen in the right place, patients attending the ED with minor injuries or illnesses will now be redirected. The Dartmoor Urgent Treatment Centre is a brand-new facility, open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm. We also have another Urgent Treatment Centre at the Cumberland Centre in Devonport, and Minor Injury Units at Tavistock and South Hams (Kingsbridge) Hospitals.
If you attend the ED outside of these hours with a minor condition such as sprains, minor fractures, cuts, burns, or minor head injuries, you may be asked to return the next day to the Dartmoor UTC, the Cumberland Centre or your local Minor Injury Unit (MIU). We will be asking you to safely wait at home until they open.
Ian McCarthy, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, said: “We are seeing more patients than ever across the whole of our Urgent and Emergency Care footprint. We want to see people in the right place, at the right time so patients experience the best possible care. We don’t want patients to be waiting in our Emergency Department if they would be better off being seen in a more suitable facility like our on-site Urgent Treatment Centre. If you suspect limb fractures, sprains and strains, have minor head injuries, burns, cuts, bites and stings, your conditions are more appropriate for an Urgent Treatment Centre.”
It’s vital that our Emergency Department remains available for those with life or limb-threatening emergencies, so that the sickest patients can be seen quickly and safely.
By choosing the most appropriate service for your condition, you are helping us care for everyone more efficiently.
If you need urgent care that cannot wait for your GP, please visit one of our UTCs or MIUs. They can treat:
- Minor fractures
- Sprains and strains
- Minor head injuries
- Minor burns and scalds
- Cuts and grazes
- Bites and stings
- Infected wounds
- Foreign bodies in eyes or skin
- Other minor illnesses
If you’re not sure where to go, contact NHS 111 by phone or visit 111.nhs.uk for advice
All our units have up-to-date information on waiting times and opening hours on our website Urgent care waiting times | University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.
