Dawlish minor injuries unit to reopen in April

The minor injuries unit (MIU) at Dawlish Community Hospital will reopen next month.

The MIU will reopen on Tuesday 2 April 2024 with operating hours of Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm. An ‘appointment-priority’ service will be in place, with people able to call and book appointments for the same day.

The unit will also support walk-in visitors but appointments will be prioritised so people may be redirected. This system follows the model at Totnes Community Hospital’s MIU which has helped protect the service and maintain consistency.

The unit will reopen without x-ray facilities at this time due to radiology workforce constraints.

Liz Davenport, Chief Executive at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are grateful to be in a position to reopen the minor injuries unit at Dawlish Community Hospital. It has always been our plan to reopen the service as soon as we were confident we could provide a sustainable service. Our teams have worked hard over a long period of time to reach this point. We know how much the service means to local people and we would like to apologise once again for the long temporary closure.

“The feedback on the ‘appointment-priority’ service at the minor injuries unit at Totnes Community Hospital has been very positive and has allowed us to deliver a consistent service in that area. We are looking forward to bringing this service format to Dawlish Community Hospital and providing an MIU once again.”

Dawlish MIU was originally closed as part of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic due to staffing levels and demand for services.

The advanced practitioner roles required at the unit is used across wider healthcare services creating a competitive market, but Torbay and South Devon now has the personnel to provide the MIU service.

The telephone number for appointments will be confirmed ahead of the opening. Details will be available on Torbay and South Devon’s website.