The minor injuries unit (MIU) at Dartmouth Community Hospital will be open daily between 10am and 6pm from Monday 24 August to Monday 31 August 2015 to cover the large numbers of people visiting the town during the Dartmouth Royal Regatta.
Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust temporarily closed the MIU in May 2015 because of qualified MIU nurse shortages. The Trust has been working to recruit more staff and is hopeful that staff will be in place later this year.
Dr Sonja Manton, chief operating officer at Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “We know that the temporary closure has been inconvenient for some local people, and we apologise for that.
“We are grateful to the doctors at Dartmouth Medical Practice, who have provided a service that has met most of the need for care and treatment while the MIU is suspended.
“We do of course understand the need for an MIU facility during this summer’s Dartmouth Royal Regatta, so we will be providing this during normal hours. Regatta week is an extremely busy time for Dartmouth, and we will ensure that the medical services are ready and able to cope with the extra people who visit the town.
“We will be employing bank and agency nurses to enable us to staff the MIU during this week. Obviously this isn’t a sustainable solution but we know it is essential to provide treatment and care during this particular period of likely increased demand.”
The MIU service was suspended in May 2015 due to key members of staff retiring, and several rounds of recruitment efforts had failed to attract a replacement. As an interim measure, Dartmouth Medical Practice has provided advice and non-emergency treatment
Local people have also been asked to use the Minor Injuries Units at Brixham Community Hospital (8am-4pm, Monday to Friday, 4 miles away via ferry) or Totnes Hospital (8am-9pm 7-days a week, 14 miles away).
All other services provided by Dartmouth Community Hospital are continuing as normal
