Public reminded that emergency care is provided at ED and not the MIU

Staff in Swansea Bay are reminding the public that emergency care for chest pains, stroke or any serious medical condition can only be delivered in Morriston Hospital – and not the Minor Injury Unit at Neath Port Talbot Hospital.

To ensure patients receive the most appropriate and timely care, it is important they go to the correct unit to receive treatment.

Morriston Hospital is home to full accident and emergency services in the Emergency Department (ED), with staff able to treat severe and life-threatening conditions.

Pictured: Clinical nurse manager Della Llewellyn and MIU consultant nurse Kevin Randall.

These could include heart attacks, difficulty breathing, severe allergic reaction, collapse, stroke symptoms, or major injuries caused by a fall from a height, a road traffic accident or a serious assault, for example.

The Minor Injury Unit (MIU) is designed to treat patients whose injuries aren’t life-threatening, such as minor fractures, sprains, cuts and minor burns.

Going to the MIU instead of Morriston when you have a serious medical condition or injury will delay the treatment you need.

Kevin Randall, consultant nurse at the MIU, said: “There is not an ED at Neath Port Talbot Hospital but there is an excellent MIU, which is one of the busiest units of its kind in the UK.

“It is vital for the health and safety of people seeking urgent medical attention to understand the difference between the two.

“EDs are staffed with highly trained emergency medicine specialists, including doctors, nurses and support staff who are experienced in handling complex and critical medical situations.

“While staff in MIUs are skilled healthcare professionals, they are only trained in the management of minor injuries.

“There are no doctors based at the MIU and the specialist nurses at the unit do not have the same level of specialised training, equipment or specialised supporting teams to deal with patients who are experiencing a medical emergency.”

EDs are home to advanced diagnostic tools, including CT and MRI scanners, as well as specialist medical teams and laboratory services – all of which are essential for accurately diagnosing and treating serious conditions.

If a patient having a heart attack goes to the MIU, they would need to be urgently transferred to the cardiac catheter laboratory in Morriston Hospital.

Likewise, if someone has suffered a major injury and has internal bleeding, the MIU cannot provide emergency surgery.

“By attending an MIU when you should be at an ED may delay critical treatment and can risk lives,” Kevin added.

“Time is often a critical factor in emergency situations.

“Ambulances do not respond more quickly to patients in the MIU than they do to patients who call 999 from their own homes.”

While there can be long waiting times at ED for patients with non-urgent conditions, it is because patients with urgent conditions are seen first.

Pictured: MIU staff looking at an x-ray.

“Specialist trained triage nurses assess patients on arrival at ED,” he said.

“Their job is to ensure those with the most urgent conditions are prioritised.

“Patients with the most urgent medical emergencies will be dealt with immediately on arrival to ED.”

Understanding the difference between the two units is not only of benefit to patients needing treatment but also to the staff providing the care.

Going to the correct place in the first instance, also helps staff spend more time offering treatment and support to appropriate patients.

Kevin added: “By understanding and respecting the roles of MIUs and EDs, the public can help to optimise healthcare resources.

“This helps to make sure MIUs remain available for people with minor injuries, while EDs can focus on providing life-saving care to those in critical need.

“Helping patients to access the correct place, first time, means it prevents potential delays for life-saving treatments, reduces potential harm to patients and also ensures that emergency care systems work efficiently for a greater number of patients.

“As a health board, we are committed to providing the best possible care for all patients.”

In the case of severe or life-threatening emergencies, always go directly to the nearest Emergency Department or call 999.

Do not go to the Minor Injury Unit at Neath Port Talbot Hospital with serious medical or life-threatening conditions. This may cause critical delays accessing life-saving treatment.

Follow this link to the Minor Injury Unit page where you can find more information about the conditions it can help with.