Minor injury unit expands care

Care at a Devon minor injury unit is to be expanded to also treat illnesses.

The combined minor injury and illness unit will serve Teignbridge Primary Care Trust's Buckfastleigh, Ashburton and Bovey Tracey hospitals.

The new unit will open at the beginning of October and offer a wider range of treatments than the previous minor injury unit.

A trust spokeswoman said the change was introduced in response to concerns by local people about the services.

It will treat people with coughs, colds, flu-like symptoms and ear ache, as well as wounds, sprains, bruises and minor head injuries, excluding those suffering a loss of consciousness.

The primary care trust will work with GPs to see what other services can be added to the clinic to make use of nurses on hand.

Patients formerly had to travel to Newton Abbot or Torbay Hospital for minor illnesses.

The changed services are being provided by the trust within existing funding.