October 2024

Pilot launches to provide X-Ray car service to patients in the community

A pilot project at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) aimed at supporting care close to home and reducing unnecessary patient admissions to the Emergency Department has launched – a new X-Ray car service which will take the X-Ray to the patient.?

The car, complete with a full X-Ray kit and staffed by specialist Radiographers and Imaging Healthcare Assistants, will be out and about in Plymouth and the surrounding areas to offer support to patients who have fallen at home or in other community settings.

The X-Ray car team will attend frail and vulnerable patients who have had a fall and may have a fracture. Once the X-Ray is completed, the hospital clinical team will be provided with the result and will then organise the correct management plan for the type of injury present, which may involve other urgent community response teams, or if there is a more serious injury, conveyance to hospital.

“We’re really excited to get this service underway and know that it is the best thing for our patients who fall in the community,” said Anne Hicks, Associate Medical Director for Integrated Care Pathways. “We are really pleased about what this service will offer from a patient perspective. Having had a fall or having injured yourself at home, and to then access the appropriate help, and get the diagnosis and the treatment plan in the comfort of your own home or community place of care –?that’s what this service is all about.”

“Whilst the pilot is in its infancy, we are aiming to attend three to five patients a day. In turn, that means three to five more ambulances on the road each day - out in the community -responding to emergencies. We do not have anything like this at the moment, so for patients, it means that they can avoid the additional processes they experience when admitted into hospital, and when they leave.”

Last year, approximately 2000 patients over the age of 55 attended the Emergency Department at UHP and were found not to have suffered a fracture. Nearly 1,300 of those patients came by ambulance, with 1,000 further admitted into the hospital. The X-Ray car service aims to reduce these numbers, enabling capacity for other patients at Derriford Hospital.?

“It is wonderful to see our colleagues start to offer this service to our local patients and see the benefits this will bring for our patients in the community,” said Rachel O’Connor, Director of Integrated Care, Partnerships and Strategy at UHP. “It is really important that we are introducing ways for patients to be treated in their homes or places of residence and continue to support their independence and care closer to home.

“It’s a big difference for Radiographers to provide accurate scans for those who are frail and vulnerable and to provide the expertise in the community to treat people in their own homes. The pilot is a step forward in bringing our care to where people live, providing early intervention while supporting, and preventing when not necessary, onward journeys to hospital. We believe this will provide a much better experience for our patients and improve their outcomes and recovery. I am really thankful to our colleagues and partners for enabling this pilot to get off the ground.”

This pilot is an example of the local NHS continuing to look at community interventions, ensuring patients are supported to remain independent for longer. It is supported by Livewell Southwest ’s Urgent Community Response team, and under the oversight of the Acute GP and Virtual Ward service at UHP, with assistance from Southwest Ambulance Services (SWASFT).

UHP’s Secret Garden receives two awards and is the overall winner at this year’s Patient Experience Network National Awards

UHP has won two awards at the Patient Experience Network National Awards (PENNA), which is the first and only awards programme in the country to recognise best practice in patient experience across all facets of health and social care.

The ICU Secret Garden won on two categories, ‘Environment of Care’ and ‘Support for Caregivers, Friends and Family’, with UHP also being celebrated as the overall winner of the evening.

The completion of the Secret Garden in 2022 provided an outdoor space in which, for the first time, neonatal intensive care patients and their families/carers were able to experience the benefits of fresh air space. Subsequently, the wishes of a family, whose infant was diagnosed with a life limiting condition, to spend time outdoors with their child, became reality. To date, the space has supported over 5000 patients, allowing them and their friends, carers and families to experience the benefits of fresh air therapy.

The Secret Garden is a fully equipped, all-weather, outside space which enables all critically ill patients and their families and carers to experience the sensory, emotional and psychological benefits of a fresh air space.?

PENNA selected the Secret Garden as winners across two categories, citing how it showcases the best possible environment of care, from first arrival and throughout, with involvement from patients. Additionally, the space has been designed to meet the emotional, physical, educational and spiritual needs of the caregivers, friends, and families of patients.

kate tantam , Specialist Sister in the Intensive Care Unit and Rehabilitation team at UHP, said: “It is a very special place and we are very proud that since opening formally in 2022 we have supported over 5000 patients, loved ones, and staff to feel the benefits of fresh air therapy. The Secret Garden's unique design and innovative utilisation make it a hub for holistic therapy and care in a very busy hospital. It is a space that has supported patients irrespective of age, and proves that when teams unite amazing things can happen.”

Dr Alex Allwood, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Consultant at UHP. added: “From my perspective, the opportunity for the team to fulfil a family’s wishes for their dying baby to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin and the gentle caress of the fresh breeze through her hair together as a family was hugely moving.”

Feedback from our users also reflect this, with one user saying: “Our time outdoors with our son in the Secret Garden was very special. We were both amazed by and very grateful for the effort and dedication of the team to make it happen.”

This space offers support across the inpatient care experience, for neonatal, paediatric and adult patients. For our neonatal patients this may be their first experience of the external environment, and for their families, the only opportunity to capture memories in a non-hospitalised space.

To date, three families of infants receiving care in the neonatal intensive care unit have benefitted from spending time in the Secret Garden. Two of these were to create personalised end-of-life experiences, and another to reunite a family whose parent required care in the intensive care unit. These loved one’s experiences are being translated into an academic piece of work as they are keen to share their neonatal experience in the hope that it becomes a possibility for families throughout the UK.

The Secret Garden offers all patients a private, calm space to spend time with loved ones, engage with functional rehabilitation, share family events, engage in animal assisted activities, and supports end-of-life care.

Parkinson’s patients at UHP benefit from new treatment thanks to clinical trial

Four Parkinson’s patients at UHP are now benefitting from a new commercially available treatment, after being part of the clinical trial to test its safety and effectiveness.?

The treatment, called Produodopa, is delivered by a small pump, which enables the medication to be continuously administered under the skin 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It was approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2023 and has been available on the NHS since February, thanks to research which took place at UHP, 英国伦敦大学 - 伦敦国王学院 and Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.?

The clinical trial into the safety and effectiveness of Produodopa, led by Camille Carroll, Honorary Consultant Neurologist at UHP, Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the 英国普利茅斯大学 and 英国纽卡斯尔大学 and Joint Clinical Director of the Parkinson’s Excellence Network, has been taking place at UHP for five years, with five patients taking part at the south west site.?

Thanks to the success of the trial, four patients have now been able to move to the commercially available version of the new treatment, which aims to improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s and reduce the fluctuations caused by taking oral tablets throughout the day. The treatment enables continuous symptom management and provides patients with greater control over their condition and medication-related side effects.?

Talking about the new treatment, Abigail Patrick, Specialist Research Practitioner and Neurology Research Team Leader at UHP, said: “Parkinson’s patients often take medication orally, and as the condition progresses, the medication might not work as well. As Parkinson’s patients can experience clouded thinking and reduced motor function, they may not necessarily know when their medications are working correctly. By providing a medication which runs 24 hours a day, it reduces the ups and downs related to taking oral medication.

“By being part of the clinical trial, the patients at UHP were able to seamlessly move across to the treatment once it was commercially available and had no gaps in their treatment, which is not always the case with trials. We are pioneering with new treatments in the south west, and this is a really good example of cross team working where the research teams worked alongside the clinical teams. This meant that the transition was done with nurses who knew the patients, and this helped to streamline the process of getting the new treatment in place. It was very much a multidisciplinary team effort.”

John Whipps, a Parkinson’s patient from Cornwall, and his wife Sue, who provided a vital support role, both took part in the study, having the opportunity to give feedback about the pump, the liquid and adverse events. Reflecting on their experience, Sue said: “John was at a complex stage of Parkinson's. The oral drugs weren’t helping, and he was getting side effects. At the time, John didn’t want to move onto the existing pump as it was expected that he would suffer from the same issues. He also didn’t want surgery in order to get brain stimulation treatment.

“Luckily, John had a very interested consultant, so she was aware of John’s history of working in research. Camille was very involved, and she knew he needed a device assisted therapy. We were looking at options at Bristol, but she said, 'Slow down, there’s something coming up which you might be interested in.' Eventually she was able to tell us about the trial and John agreed to do it. It was amazing timing. She called to ask if he would join the trial and a week later, he was signed up.”

Talking about the outcome of the research, John said: “I feel really great as we’ve managed to give something back. A lot of the research work that people do doesn’t really get realised but this one has. We’re really glad to see it’s available.

“Being part of research is significantly important as there are always requirements for new treatments to be developed. The only way to improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s, and to slow, stop and reverse it, is by people agreeing to become participants in research. Nothing will change unless you try.”

This is the first new treatment in a number of years which has been made available on the NHS for Parkinson’s patients and while not everyone will be eligible for this treatment, it is hoped it will improve the symptoms. Currently, UHP is working to set up the new service, such as recruiting to new posts, to offer the treatment to more patients.

Speaking about the importance of research at UHP, Camille Carroll said: “Providing people with the opportunity to take part in research studies is a vital part of their care. We know that people who take part in studies do better, and that hospitals that are active in research provide better care. Research is the way that we discover new treatments.?

“At UHP we work hard to provide a range of studies for people to take part in, to ensure that taking part is enjoyable, and that study participants are well supported. We are so grateful to everyone who volunteers to take part. Together we can make a real difference - not just to their lives, but also to the lives of many more people.

“It was a privilege to lead the Produodopa trial at UHP and I’m delighted to now be working with others in the UHP Parkinson’s team to be setting up the service for patients in our region.”

Dr Rowan Wathes, Associate Director of Policy and Health Strategy at Parkinson's UK , said: “Produodopa is an important step forward in the treatment of Parkinson’s for people whose symptoms are no longer effectively managed by oral medications and we’re thrilled to see University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust leading the way in making the drug available to those who will benefit from it.

"Our hope is that all NHS Trusts will soon establish services for this vital treatment, so that many more people with Parkinson’s can benefit from Produodopa and gain greater control over their symptoms and their lives.”

To find out more about research opportunities at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, either as a researcher or participant, ask your health care professional or contact the Research and Development team. If you are interested in taking part in a research study at UHP you can also find the studies we are currently running that could be of benefit to you on the Be Part of Research website.

UHP consultant helping to give rheumatology patients control with new toolkit

Dr Mark Perry, Consultant Rheumatologist at UHP and Senior Tutor at Peninsula Medical School , 英国普利茅斯大学 , is helping rheumatology patients to take control of their care thanks to a new patient-initiated follow-up toolkit.?

Patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) is an intervention which gives patients and their carers the flexibility to arrange follow-up appointments as and when they’re needed. Dr Perry has been researching the benefits of PIFU services since 2001. ?

Co-created by leading experts, clinicians, and patients, the new rheumatology toolkit has been designed to benefit both healthcare professionals and patients to help with the implementation of high-quality PIFU in rheumatology services across the NHS.?

Speaking about the development of the toolkit, Dr Perry said: “Shared decision making is critical to a successful PIFU service, and it is important to provide accessible high-quality educational materials to help patients decide what management is best for them.

“Patients with chronic rheumatic conditions typically access NHS services for the remainder of their lives. Getting the implementation of PIFU right establishes trust between patients and those services.”

This approach aims to reduce unnecessary hospital visits while ensuring timely and personalised care for those who need it most. This represents a significant shift in how care is managed for patients with chronic rheumatic diseases, as traditionally, rheumatology services were predominantly delivered in outpatient settings through fixed appointments.?

The project was funded by the British Society for Rheumatology 's advanced research funding call and was co-produced with input from patients and professional patient groups such as the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) and the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS). The toolkit has been designed to be as accessible as possible to all, and as well as being available for free use by different NHS services, it can be co-branded by Trusts, allowing local hospitals to adapt the toolkit for their specific needs.?

The material from this toolkit will be a key part of the intervention in the upcoming National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) TaILOR trial (trial of patient-initiated care leading to improved outcomes in rheumatology) which will be investigating the impact of PIFU on rheumatology services. To find out more about research in health and social care and how you can take part, visit the NIHR’s Be Part of Research website, or for more information about research at UHP, visit the Research and Development page of our website.?

To find out more about the toolkit, or to download it, visit the British Society for Rheumatology.

New Hospital Programme to host its first South West ‘Meet the Contractor’ Event

The New Hospital Programme is preparing to host its first ever South West ‘Meet the Contractor’ event on Thursday 7 November 2024 in Plymouth. The event will focus on upcoming supplier opportunities with University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust .

Companies of all types and sizes (including small and medium sized enterprises) from a broad range of sectors are invited to register to attend the event and snap up the opportunity to meet the NHS Trusts, main contractors (BAM and Mace Willmott Dixon Healthcare), T Clarke and other local businesses in person, to find out more about plans for future healthcare infrastructure delivery in Plymouth and Truro and the local skills and employment opportunities these will provide.

Willmott Dixon and BAM will be sharing their views on some of the practical issues facing the local supply chain in the delivery of these major capital projects; and T Clarke will share their insight on existing local skills gaps, and specific accreditations they’ll be looking for from local businesses in their supply chain.

A series of round table discussions will be held to give businesses an opportunity to share their thoughts on what is needed to enable them to help us deliver the hospitals. We will also hold a discussion on what organisations can do differently to help us to deliver local priorities during the construction period.

The event will comprise of keynote sessions where attendees can hear more about the Urgent and Emergency Care facility at Derriford Hospital and Women and Children's Hospital in Truro, Cornwall and find out how they can get involved in delivering these critical new local investments in healthcare across the Peninsula.

The Cornwall Construction Skills Advisory Board and Building Plymouth will be sharing their views on how these projects are an opportunity to work together to invest in skills for local communities.

Speaking about the event, NHP’s Chief Programme Officer, Morag Stuart, said: “These projects are at the forefront of transforming the country’s future hospital delivery. We want to build a collaborative supply chain that will deliver hospitals faster and at less cost – as well as an enduring capability to build hospitals far into the future. Connecting a wide variety of companies across the South West and beyond is key to the programme’s success.”

Registration for the event has now opened and businesses are encouraged to register their interest to attend this free event. Places are limited and all registrations will be subject to a confirmation process. Register your interest to attend the New Hospital Programme South West Meet the Contractors Event (google.com).

Lead Cancer Nurse Practitioner Anna Wilson wins a ViP Award

Anna Wilson, Lead Cancer Nurse Practitioner at UHP, has been presented with UHP’s latest VIP Award.

Starting at the end of 2023, The VIP Awards are an ongoing recognition scheme, submitted by staff and patients to celebrate and recognise the hard work of our colleagues and what they have done well.

Anna received a nomination from colleague Charlotte Burgoyne, Clinical Admin Manager, who highlighted that Anna is "an inspiration for all future nurses and has brought a lot of positive changes for urology patients, in particular, taking on clinics to cut cancer waiting times for prostate cancer patients and help reach 2WW targets".

Charlotte added on her nomination that “Anna is everything a nurse and leader should be. She is a tower of strength, a listening ear and a champion of our well-being and the well-being of patients. She is a shiny beacon of the trusts core values".

The VIP Award judging panel also commended her work through her nominations, with one commenting that Anna has a “clear impact on staff and patients, driving innovation and solutions that support new ways of working and positive outcomes”, while another panellist stated that “her communication methods with other staff are excellent which is so important”.

Mark Hackett, Interim Chief Executive at UHP, came down to the Chestnut Urology Investigation Unit to present the award to Anna. He said: “You have been nominated because you do put values into practice. That is a huge credit to you; you are a real role model for your colleagues and for nurses.

“You are very patient focused, which is helpful, but you have been clear on how you communicate what needs to be done and what the expectations are of people. It is clear that you are very supportive to your staff and look after their wellbeing and their interests at work and their experiences!”

Anna was joined by her whole department as she was presented with the VIP Award. She thanked her colleagues for recognising her hard work in providing support for the Radiotherapy team, particularly during some really challenging times over the last year.

Anna said: “Thank you! This is very unexpected, and you all caught me by surprise today. I just think I’m really lucky, because we have a really amazing team, and I don’t think I could do half of what I do without the team. I think we’re very fortunate that we look after each other. Now that we have the new unit, hopefully, we can continue to make things better for our patients.”

Charlotte said: “I nominated Anna for the ViP Award because she is an exceptional nurse, leader and friend. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Anna, personal or work wise. Anna has such amazing values and is such a brilliant leader, with the way she looks after everyone and the way she builds everyone up to be our best is amazing, and that is why I nominated her.”

The VIP Awards is a great opportunity to nominate more junior or hidden staff who may otherwise go unnoticed in clinical and non-clinical roles, to highlight and recognise their actions within the Trust.

Do you know a member of the UHP’s #1BigTeam who has done well in their work? Would you like the chance to praise them and show your appreciation?

If you want to celebrate a member of the #1BigTeam by nominating them for a VIP Award by making a nomination, or want to find out more, you can visit the VIP Award website.

The next VIP Award winner will be announced this Autumn.

UHP's Emergency Department among first in country to be celebrated for green achievements

UHP's Emergency Department has been recognised as going ‘above and beyond’ for its efforts in making the department more sustainable, receiving a bronze accreditation for their work.?

As part of the NHS’s aim to be the world’s first net zero national health service , the team at Derriford Hospital is participating in the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s Green ED programme . The team is one of the first five in the country to be recognised as meeting GreenED’s Bronze level standard for sustainability.

The awarding panel at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine praised Derriford’s Emergency Department for its ‘dedication, perseverance, creativity, and leadership’, adding that the team ‘has truly gone above and beyond’.

Ian Higginson, Emergency Physician and Vice President of RCEM said: “I’m really pleased that the efforts of the Emergency Department, and colleagues from the Sustainability Programme and other departments, have been recognised.

“Our ED is one of the first five in the country to receive this accreditation. The project team has been led by Daisy Stevens, and consists of colleagues from many backgrounds within the ED. Next we are trying for Silver, so we aren’t done yet!”

The team worked on a number of activities with the aim of reducing carbon emissions, including reducing energy usage by turning down computer screen brightness, improving waste segregation practices and reducing unnecessary or overused equipment and procedures. They also audited the department’s paper use, their stocks of unnecessary discharge medications and the use of glove and personal protection equipment.?

Kirsty Wavish, Sustainability Manager at the Trust, said: “It’s brilliant to see how the Emergency Department have been able to drill down into the detail as part of working through this framework. Our ambition is to roll these kinds of actions out across the organisation to see where other departments can make an impact.

“For example, if we can just ensure that departments are using the correct bins, we can save significant amounts of money on the cost of waste disposal.?

“From the achievements of a very busy department like our ED, we hope others will learn and follow in doing activities to make a difference. Simple things such as reviewing use of single use plastic, and turning off computer screens, is something that should be achievable in all areas.”?

UHP hosts launch event for Young Persons’ Patient Council

UHP recently celebrated the launch of its Young Persons' Patient Council by hosting a launch event.

The event was held on14 October 2024, from 4.30pm to 7pm, at the Derriford Centre for Health and Wellbeing at Derriford Hospital. The Young Persons' Patient Council is looking for young people aged 25 and under who are passionate about making a difference in health services for young people and would like their voice to be heard.

The purpose of the Young Persons' Patient Council is to enable young people to make a difference to the healthcare services that affect them. UHP is keen to hear from young people willing to share their honest thoughts, opinions, experiences and aspirations, in order to help make healthcare more engaging, youth-friendly, and effective.

It is expected that members of the Young Persons’ Patient Council will donate whatever time they can and share their voice on important topics. UHP is currently listening to feedback about how often the council should meet, with an expectation that this will be for one to two hours every six weeks.

Rebecca Baines, Patient Experience and Engagement Manager, said: “We are excited to launch the Young Persons’ Patient Council at UHP. Young people aged 25 and under will now have a great opportunity to be at the centre of exciting change. Whether they are looking to build their CV, network with healthcare professionals, or simply want to help their community, the Young Persons’ Patient Council is the perfect way to make a real impact.”

The October event was supported by trained UHP staff members who will assisted Council members and facilitated discussions. Parents and carers are able to attend future events as chaperones to support their family members. UHP will be covering travel costs for members to ensure that the event is accessible to all.?

To find out more about the event or to register, visit: Young Persons' Patient Council | University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk)

UHP educator helping to teach colleagues through games

Karen Savva-Irwin, a Clinical Educator at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, is changing the way that healthcare colleagues learn thanks to a new game called PAIR-UP.

Last year, Karen Savva was on a secondment with the Medicines Safety team in Pharmacy when a job caught her attention – a role in the Cardiothoracic Education team which was expanding to include Clinical Educators working purely clinically alongside staff. Part of the interview process for this role was a 10-minute teaching segment. It was this challenge which sparked Karen’s creativity and started the ball rolling on her journey to developing the PAIR-UP game.

Talking about where the idea for the game came from, Karen said: “I decided to create a game for my interview as I thought it would be a fun way to deliver the teaching session. I had previously come across similar ideas working elsewhere in the Trust and thought to myself, ‘I wish I had thought of that.'

“I liked how it helped to break down the barriers of learning and made the process less formal, so I set about designing a pairs matching game. I was thinking that if the game went well during the interview, it might be something I could use within the role if I was successful.”?

The concept of the game is based on the simple rules of matching games. If you pick up two cards that match, you can discuss why they match, and then you get to keep the pair. If you pick up two cards that don’t match, you can discuss why they don’t match and place them back in the game. This design means that the game is playable, with the winner being whoever has the most pairs at the end, but is also a tool for learning. Each pair creates an opportunity for discussion and teaching, whether they match or not.

Another benefit of the design of the game is that it can be played at different levels. The cards are simple, and it is the discussion which facilitates the learning, therefore, the facilitator can lead the discussion and set the level of detail that will be discussed. This makes the game suitable for students, clinicians developing their training, and those needing a refresh.?

“I was aware that there are lots of different ways that people learn, and sometimes it can be hard to engage every learner through the same teaching style. I was hoping that by taking the game I used in my interview, and progressing it further, I would be able to use it as a tool to improve my teaching sessions, and get the learners involved. I hoped it would help interest those who struggle with traditional learning methods.

“Sometimes when you look across the room and see the learner you’ve lost gazing out of the window, you think about how you’ve wasted their time, your time, and there is less opportunity for improvement to patient care. This game is an interactive way of learning, which helps to keep people engaged and reduces the risk of people losing focus during teaching sessions.”

The game can be used as a learning tool both in formal and informal training. Informally, the game requires minimal space and is quick to set up, meaning it can be used anywhere as a quick refresher or training opportunity. Alternatively, it can be used to recap formal training, so after a teaching session or during training, the game can be used to test learners’ knowledge and how much they have absorbed from the session. It can also help them to benchmark where their strengths and weaknesses are so that they can work on them.?

So far, Karen has developed two versions of the game; the first one has a focus on blood gases, and the second one explores cardiac rhythms and their features. However, she hopes that with the support of other speciality nurses, she can continue to develop the suite to cover more areas of clinical education.

Currently, both versions of the game are used for training within the Cardiac Intensive Care team at UHP, but the topics of these games can translate to any area where colleagues need to make decisions related to blood gases and cardiac rhythm analysis. Karen is hoping to make more copies available to enable other educators to facilitate the games within their different teams, where these skills are relevant.

Karen has been working with UHP and Focus Games to bring her educational games to life and the final version is now available to purchase. Find PAIR-UP Cardiac Rhythms here, and PAIR-UP Blood Gas Analysis here.

New Dartmoor building progressing at rapid pace

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is making great progress on the construction of the Dartmoor Building, which will be the new home for a number of services the hospital provides including a new Urgent Treatment Centre and the relocation of the Fracture Clinic.

The Dartmoor building will be located on the northwest quadrant of the hospital, between Rowans house and the multi-storey carpark. The steel frame can already be seen from Derriford Roundabout.

The construction of the Dartmoor building is part of a journey to redevelop our healthcare estate and free up space in the main hospital for the much needed Urgent and Emergency Care Centre, a purpose built facility which will create space to care for the sickest of patients. Enabling works are already progressing for this longer term project.

Dr Anne Hicks, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, said: “The steel frame has risen from the ground at rapid pace and we are working hard to ensure that the vital services the Dartmoor building will house are ready for its opening in early 2025”.

“The new Urgent Treatment Centre will be in addition to the Cumberland Centre in Devonport and minor injury units in Tavistock and Kingsbridge. It will give patients a choice of where to visit when they have a minor illness or injury. This increased capacity will ease the pressure on our Emergency Department, enabling emergency medicine specialists to focus on those patients who are seriously unwell."

The Urgent Treatment Centre will be open 8am to 8pm, seven days per week, to treat you if you have an injury which is not life-threatening, but still requires urgent treatment. You will not need to pre-book an appointment as Urgent Treatment Centres operate a drop-in service.

A team of Nurse Practitioners who have undertaken specialist training will be able to assess, diagnose and treat patients of all ages.

Examples of the problems that can be seen in an Urgent Treatment Centre:

·?????? Cuts - we can use glue, steristrips (paper stitches) or sutures to close wounds

·?????? Small burns or scalds

·?????? Bites and stings

·?????? Sprains and certain fractures (upper and lower limbs)

·?????? Minor head injuries

·?????? Infected wounds

·?????? Foreign bodies in eyes

As we come into the autumn and winter season, whatever the problem, when you need medical care there’s only one number to remember. Get straight to the help you need. Just think 111 first. Contact the NHS 111 service by phone or online www.111.nhs.uk and visit the Stay Well pages of our website for more information about choosing the right service. Stay Well this Winter | University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk)?

We will keep you updated as we continue to bring this important new healthcare facility to life.

Watch an update on building progress from our Clinical Leads: