Extended opening hours for the busy Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Victoria Hospital in Wimborne are to be maintained to help relieve pressure on emergency departments in Poole and Bournemouth. It is open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.

When Dorset HealthCare was forced to close its MIUs at Blandford, Portland and Sherborne hospitals during the pandemic, Wimborne’s opening times were increased, to help compensate.

And now the MIU unit at Blandford is to be re-opened on Mondays and Wednesdays, 9am-5pm (call 111 to make an appointment).

MIU operating hours across Dorset are now back to what they were before the pandemic.

Despite the partial closure of Dorset’s MIU network, attendances at available units have markedly increased compared to pre-pandemic levels – with almost 93,000 appointments projected for this year compared with just under 57,000 for the whole of 2019.

Figures indicate that the activity previously seen at Blandford and Portland has been absorbed by the MIU at Wimborne and the Urgent Treatment Centre at Weymouth, respectively.

The shift from walk-ins to booked appointments (through NHS 111) also seems to be having an effect, meaning more people are being seen at MIUs instead of long waits at local emergency departments – thus helping to ease the pressure on the busy Dorset health system.

Tim Hodgetts, Dorset HealthCare’s deputy director for Integrated Care Services, said:

“We’re delighted to make Blandford Hospital MIU available again for two days each week. It bolsters our MIU network and offers residents greater choice if they need to seek treatment.

“In the meantime, we would continue to urge anyone needing urgent medical help or advice to call 111 in the first instance, rather than just turning up at an MIU. This is our preferred route as it will help us to assess your condition and ensure you get the right support, at the right place, as quickly as possible.

“However, walk-ins will be accepted and assessed but may be directed to a more appropriate service or asked to return to the MIU with an appointment time.”

Emma Wilson, head of Urgent and Emergency Care at NHS Dorset, said: “Choosing the right care when you need it could mean you are seen more quickly. If you need to think about the care you require, you almost certainly don’t need to head to an emergency department, where you may have a long wait and also be delaying someone who has a more urgent need.

“Our hospitals are really busy at the moment, so if you think your need is urgent but not a life-threatening emergency, then you could be treated more quickly by calling 111 and if you need face-to-face treatment, our network of UTCs and MIUs can provide this for you.”

Full details of Dorset’s MIUs are available at www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/miu