Ilfracombe and Bideford MIUs were closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This allowed the highly skilled MIU staff to be redeployed to the emergency department (ED) at North Devon District Hospital (NDDH), where extra space and staffing was needed to provide a COVID-safe service. 

The staff moved from our MIUs are still needed to support the ED and maintain the ongoing health, safety and wellbeing of patients.

Royal Devon have listened to our communities and we understand that the temporary closure of Bideford and Ilfracombe MIUs causes concern and anxiety for local residents. We would like to reassure our towns and communities that the Trust is committed to providing local urgent care services within Northern Devon. 

We have been working closely with the Integrated Care System for Devon to find alternative interim ways of providing local healthcare services this summer, using learning from our summer MIU provision in 2021, and are developing plans for the longer term.

We are pleased to confirm that the following is in place ready for the summer to support local residents and visitors in the Ilfracombe and Bideford areas to access urgent care more easily:

• From Friday 1 July, through to early September, a weekend MIU service (Friday to Monday) will be provided from 10am to 6pm by two fully qualified private ambulance staff in the Ilfracombe MIU. This will be available for both walk-ins and patients referred through NHS 111.

• Also available is ongoing interim GP support to provide a minor injury service (Monday to Friday) in the GP practices nearest the MIUs that are temporarily closed in Ilfracombe and Bideford. Although these do accept walk-in patients it will be based on capacity and we ask that people call NHS 111 or call ahead to the GP practice first. You may be directed to a more appropriate service for your needs to ensure you get the correct treatment at the right time.

In a life threatening emergency people should attend the main emergency department at NDDH or call 999.