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Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (HCT) unveiled a newly renovated and improved Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) in West Essex this month, marking a significant enhancement to its healthcare services.

The Trust’s MIU at Herts and Essex Community Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford was officially opened this month after two months of refurbishment works, during which the busy unit continued to see patients. The works took place to expand the space to accommodate the increasing number of patients treated in the MIU.

Emma Whiteford, Director of Operations for Adult and Children’s Services at HCT, said:

“We are thrilled with the expansion of our MIU, this will provide a very much improved space for our staff to treat our patients and support their families/carers. The MIU delivers fantastic care with highly skilled staff, and we continue to focus on the delivery of excellent care to the community”.

As a result of the works, HCT has almost tripled the original space and co-located the patients’ waiting area, which was previously in another part of the hospital. The MIU has become increasingly busy over the past few years; on very busy days staff will see over 80 patients a day.

As part of the unveiling, Julie Marson MP for Hertford and Stortford and Andrew Stephenson CBE MP, Minister of State for Health and Social Care visited the new MIU.

Minister for Health and Secondary Care, Andrew Stephenson, said:

“It was great to see how the expansion and refurbishment of the Minor Injuries Unit at Herts and Essex Hospital is providing a much-improved area for staff to treat patients and support families and carers.

“Having tripled in size, it is enabling more patients to access the highest standards of care, whether that be for a booked appointment, walk-in assessment or video consultation.”

The upgraded facility is already making a positive impact on patient care and patients’  experience with an additional treatment room and a larger waiting area, aimed at accommodating more patients efficiently, improving overall waiting times and an enhanced experience for people visiting the MIU.

The refurbishment is part of HCT’s commitment to providing the highest standards of care, providing a much-improved space for Trust staff to treat patients and support local families/carers.

The MIU operates Monday to Friday, 9am–4.30pm, treating patients over the age of 2. Its work helps to alleviate pressures in local A&E departments, offering an alternative for people with minor injuries, so they do not need to go to busy emergency departments.

For more information about the MIU, click here.