Enter and view: Oswestry Minor Injuries Unit, Shropshire

In August 2016, Healthwatch representatives visited the Oswestry Health Centre which is one of four MIUs providing urgent care services in Shropshire. The visit was semi-announced.

This report provides feedback from 13 patients about the quality of the service they received and why they chose to attend the MIU. It also includes feedback from staff and observations made by Healthwatch representatives regarding the environment and patient care.

The main findings were that patients mostly lived within a 10 mile radius of the MIU and were attending following an injury or accident having been referred by their GP or other treatment centre. The majority had used the Centre previously and had learned about it from local people or because they lived locally. Awareness of other sources of urgent care services was mixed.

Some issues were identified which included difficulty parking and the x-ray department was closed at weekends. However, the patient’s experiences were overwhelmingly positive and staff enjoyed working in the Unit.

Healthwatch representatives were impressed by the design of the unit and the facilities available, the level of confidentiality for patients and the level of compassionate care shown by staff.

Details of an action plan developed for the MUI to make improvements and share good practice is included in the report. The report will also contribute to discussions on the transformation of urgent and emergency care services in Shropshire.