The Minor Injuries Units in Burnham-On-Sea and six other Somerset towns will not be replaced by the new GP community pharmacy service, health bosses have promised this week.
Somerset has seven of the Minor Injury Units (MIUs) operated by the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which provide a range of urgent treatments for patients who cannot secure a GP’s appointment and in doing so relieve pressure on the county’s A&E departments.
The Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) recently launched the Somerset GP community pharmacy consultation service, which is also known as Think Pharmacy, that is designed to quickly treat more than 40 minor conditions and injuries.
Health bosses have now sought to assure the public that this new service will not lead to any of Somerset’s MIUs being closed down or replaced, says the Local Democracy Service.
The seven MIUs in Bridgwater, Burnham-On-Sea, Chard, Frome, Glastonbury, Minehead and Shepton Mallet are open between 8am and 9pm.
The new pharmacy service is designed to give patients access to a community pharmacist who can diagnose and treat minor conditions, freeing up around 1,000 GP appointments every month in Somerset for those with more serious afflictions.
Patients who call their GP surgery will be referred to the service, with a same-day appointment being offered either in person or over the phone.
The minor illnesses or injuries which the service can treat include: Eye and ear infections; Sore throats; Skin infections; Sprains; Urinary tract infections; Common summer conditions such as hay fever, insect bites and skin rashes; Ankle, foot, knee, leg or arm strains and aches; Coughs and colds; Headaches and Mouth ulcers and blisters.
If the pharmacist believes the patient requires further specialist help, they will be referred back to their GP or another health service.
The CCG has sought to assure patients that the new community pharmacists will not lead to any planned closures within the existing MIUs.
A spokesman says: “The Somerset GP community pharmacy service is a completely separate service, which has been introduced by NHS England and is being rolled out locally in Somerset by the CCG, working with GPs and community pharmacists. It will not affect MIUs and is not intended to replace them.”
Click here for more information on the community pharmacist consultation service.
