Changes to Minor Injuries Services in Armagh
31/08/2012
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has centralised the minor injuries services in Armagh at Armagh Community Hospital.The Minor Injuries Unit will be open from Monday to Friday including Bank Holidays from 9am to 7pm.The Minor Injuries Unit at the Mullinure site will be closed from 3 September 2012.
Mrs Angela McVeigh, Director of Older People and Primary Care said: "These new arrangements were agreed at a Trust Board meeting in March 2012. The decision to relocate minor injuries to one site in Armagh followed a thirteen week consultation on the future of minor injuries for the Armagh and Dungannon area between November 2011 and February 2012.
"We took this decision after conducting a long term analysis of when people used the minor injuries service. A clear trend emerged which showed that, for at least the last three years, not enough people have been using the service at certain hours over the weekend and in the evenings to make it sustainable. The opening hours between 5pm -7pm is a pilot until the end of March to see how well the service is used.
"It is important that the role of the Minor Injuries Unit is understood and it is used appropriately- this service treats minor injuries like sprains, cuts and scalds.
"When the Armagh Minor Injuries Unit is closed people should go to the Minor Injuries Unit at South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon, from 1 October the new opening hours will be from 9.00am to 9.00pm Monday to Friday and 10.00am to 6.00pm Saturday and Sunday.
"People with serious or emergency health conditions like chest pains or seizures cannot be treated at a Minor Injuries Unit and should always go to their nearest Emergency Department (formerly known as Accident & Emergency) at either Craigavon Area Hospital or Daisy Hill Hospital.
"To ensure people who use the minor injuries services in Armagh are well informed about these changes and what can be treated at the Minor Injuries Unit at Armagh Community Hospital, we have carried out an extensive information campaign. This has included posting leaflets to local people’s homes, displaying posters within public facilities and placing advertisements in local newspapers."
Click here for the leaflet on the new times for Minor Injuries Services in Armagh.(PDF / 1.5MB)