Minor Injuries Unit (MIU)

This Unit is staffed by Emergency Nurse Practitioners who have extended knowledge and skills to deal with a wide variety of Injury presentations.

It is supported by the x-ray department and computer links to the NNUH which allows images to be visualised by senior doctors. The staff have clear referral pathways link in to most specialities.  

 If patients need further in depth investigation, operative fixation of fractures, exploratory surgery, senior review or admission they maybe transferred to NNUH.  

There are no Doctors within the unit and therefore requests for prescriptions or patients presenting with illness type presentation are directed to their GP or out of hour’s primary care service.  

Patients may refer themselves and have no need to be sent by their GP or NHS direct although local GP’s, the ambulance service and NHS direct may send patients here if patients have contacted them first.  

If there is doubt over whether a patient’s needs can be met by the unit we encourage patients and health professional to phone us and we can discuss and will always help if we can.

If a patient is directed elsewhere it would be because of the best interests of the patient and the need for a more in depth clinical review.   Information about the unit is also available on the Heron website.  

Many local surgeries also carry copies of our guidelines and opening hours.