The Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Exmouth Community Hospital will be under new management from Thursday 1 February, when Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (the Royal Devon) will take over the running of the facility from the Claremont Medical Practice.

Claremont Medical Practice has made the decision to not continue with running the MIU service in Exmouth from the end of January 2024 to allow them to focus on their busy general practice.

Services at the MIU will continue to be delivered by a highly skilled and experienced nursing team, providing a high-quality, easily accessible alternative service to the Emergency Department (ED).

Patients are likely to be seen quicker at the MIU than the ED for a wide range of conditions such as minor musculoskeletal injuries, cuts, fractures, burns, head and eye injuries, bites, and stings, minor infections and trauma that are not life-threatening. The MIU offers clinical evaluation, treatment, and X-ray services during the week.

The Exmouth League of Friends has played a fundamental part in the delivery of the MIU service for many years and the Royal Devon would like to extend their heartfelt thanks for their recent donation of almost £18,000 to the MIU for vital equipment including treatment and resus trollies and a slit lamp for eye injury assessments.

Andy Burgess, Divisional Director – Medical Services (Eastern) at the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are happy to be taking over the Exmouth Minor Injuries Unit. The Exmouth MIU is an important public facility, offering greater convenience for local people and relieving pressure on our main emergency department in Exeter.

“The role of the League of Friends in this MIU has been significant, and we are extremely grateful to them for enabling us to enhance the facility with their generous donation.”

David Bassett, Chairman of the Exmouth League of Friends, said: ““The League of Friends are very pleased to support the Royal Devon as they take on the running of the MIU, an increasingly important part of our local healthcare. We can only continue our support of the hospital through the generosity of legacies left to us by members of the community for which we are very grateful”.

Anthony Fitzgerald, Chief Operating Officer for NHS Devon, said: “I would like to thank Claremont Medical Practice for their work to run the Exmouth MIU. We are pleased that Royal Devon are taking over the contract as the MIU in Exmouth provides an option for those patients who need urgent care for a minor injury but do not need to attend the emergency department in Exeter.”

The MIU is open 8am-8pm, seven days a week including bank holidays. Please check the Royal Devon website for any changes to these opening times.

Further details on the services available at Royal Devon MIU’s and walk in centres can be found on the Royal Devon Trust website.