Talk before you walk
NHS Somerset is committed to understanding the needs of the local population. This is to ensure we can continue to deliver the best possible healthcare services in Somerset.
By ringing NHS111, your GP surgery or Somerset Direct (Somerset County Council’s central contact centre) you will speak to a trained professional who will assess your needs and direct you to the most appropriate care option as close to home as practical – and support you wherever possible to access the service.
This approach will save time and unnecessary travel. It will also direct you to the most appropriate service for you, first time, and direct you to support as close to home or work as practical and help us to make sure that services are used appropriately and most effectively.
The NHS has recommended that Urgent Treatment Centres, which provide a greater range of services and a higher level of care than current Minor Injury Units, are opened across the country.
They will be open for a minimum of 12 hours a day, provide a greater range of diagnostic services (for example, x-ray and some blood tests) 7 days a week, be supported by GPs and have the facility to book appointments in advance through NHS111 or your local GP surgery.
In Somerset it will not be practical or affordable to replace every Minor Injury Unit with an Urgent Treatment Centre so we will have to consider how many we need for the county. This means that some Minor Injury Units would close while others would be replaced by Urgent Treatment Centres.
