Minister confirms to Fleur Anderson MP that facility returns next month
Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton. Picture: St George's NHS Trust
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Queen Mary’s Minor Injury Unit to Reopen
Minister confirms to Fleur Anderson MP that facility returns next month
The minor injuries unit at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton is to reopen next month.
The facility has been closed since March as part of a strategy by the local NHS to concentrate resources to tackle the virus. There was not enough space to separate walk in patients with coronavirus symptoms and others using the service.
The centre will now be able to provide up to 480 urgent and routine appointments each week. These will be bookable same day or routine appointments.
The new service will be led by Battersea Health GP Federation, with support from St George’s, and will provide much of the same diagnostics and treatments as the urgent treatment centre did before.
It will not be possible to cater for walk-in patients and those with Covid-19 symptoms should continue to dial 111.
The service is expected to provide same day urgent care from 8am to 8pm – with two emergency care clinicians provided by St George’s able to provide 308 appointments per week, and a GP will be available from 3pm to 8pm, expected to make 172 appointments a week.
Fleur Anderson, MP for Putney, who had been campaigning for the move said, “Today I met with Health Minister Edward Argar who confirmed the great news that the Minor Injuries unit will be reopening at Queen Mary’s Hospital.
“I lead a debate in Parliament last week to show how much local people wanted the Minor Injuries Unit to reopen. I am delighted that the Minister and NHS Trust listened to residents’ concerns and welcome plans to reopen the Minor Injuries Unit in November.”
“From next month a service will be available combining the Minor Injuries Unit with much needed bookable GP appointments. I welcome the reopening of this primary care facility which will be able to relieve some of the winter pressure on local GPs by delivering flu vaccinations, cervical smears and childhood vaccinations. Vital community pharmacy services will also return with same day deliveries of medication to homes expected to be offered this winter.
“The reopening of the Minor Injuries Unit will ensure that the 18,000 local residents who use the centre each year will have access to key medical care and services throughout winter.”
The pilot will begin by offering appointments to Wandsworth patients and plans are in place to extend it to other boroughs if it is successful, starting with Richmond.
Written with contributions from Sian Bayley - Local Democracy Reporter
October 20, 2020
