Mayor of High Wycombe officially opens Urgent Treatment Centre
The Urgent Treatment Centre, located at Wycombe Hospital, was officially opened by Mayor of High Wycombe Cllr Sarfaraz Khan Raja last week. The opening ceremony was held on Thursday evening (6 December) with guests invited to hear more about the service and take a tour.
The Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) replaces the Minor Injuries and Illness Unit (MIIU). The service offered at the UTC in Wycombe goes over and above what NHS England has asked UTCs to provide, in that it is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week, including bank holidays (the requirements are that UTCs operate at a minimum of 12 hours per day).
The UTC is where people should go if they need urgent medical attention but it’s not a life threatening situation. There is no A&E department at Wycombe Hospital. If you think your life is at risk, you should call 999.
Although you can “walk in” and book an appointment at the urgent treatment centre, if you’re worried about an urgent medical concern you should call 111 first and speak to a fully trained advisor in the NHS 111 service.
The UTC will provide urgent treatment for a range of minor injuries and minor illnesses.
- sprains and strains
- suspected broken limbs (x-rays available 8am to 10pm)
- minor head injuries
- cuts and grazes
- bites and stings
- minor scalds and burns
- ear and throat infections
- skin infections and rashes
- eye problems
- coughs and colds
- feverish illness in adults
- feverish illness in children
- abdominal pain
- vomiting and diarrhoea
- emergency contraception
Please note – X-rays are available 8am – 10pm. Outside of these hours, you will still be seen by a UTC doctor or nurse, but if an X-ray is needed you may be asked to attend the A&E department at Stoke Mandeville, or to return to the UTC the next day
If children are very unwell, injured or sustained a head injury they should go to A&E. Please call NHS 111 if you need advice on this.
The UTC is run by FedBucks, a Buckinghamshire-based GP Federation, in close partnership with Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
Gemma Jones, Clinical Director for Urgent Care FedBucks, said: “We are pleased to be able to offer the people of Buckinghamshire access to this service. The UTC is an important part of the wider integrated urgent care network. We would like to remind people to talk before they walk by calling NHS111, who can direct them to the most appropriate service for their needs and potentially save a wasted journey or book them an appointment.”
Dr Rebecca Mallard-Smith, NHS Buckinghamshire ClinicalCommissioning Group’s Director for Unplanned Community Care, said: “The launch of the UTC forms a key part of our winter strategy as health and care organisations across Buckinghamshire work together to improve care for patients.
“The UTC continues to act as a walk-in service for minor injuries and illnesses that cannot be cared for at home. It now also offers routine GP appointments that can be booked by calling NHS 111.
“Alongside the UTC service, we also have more GP appointments available at local practices at evenings and weekends, following the recent launch of our Improved Access service. Together, these will help patients get the care they need, at an agreed time, often closer to home – helping to keep our A&E services clearer for the people most in need of emergency treatment.
“So, if you need urgent medical advice after 6.30pm or at the weekend, please phone NHS 111 who can advise you or book an appointment in the right place for your healthcare needs.”