Express & Star

Stafford hospital: More than 20 children a day treated at new minor injuries unit

More than 20 children a day have been treated by the minor injuries unit at County Hospital in Stafford during its first week.

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The A&E service for under 18s was controversially suspended in late August due to a lack of trained staff but on Monday a unit catering for minor aliments from head injuries to broken bones opened its doors.

Around 100 children have received treatment at Weston Road since the service was brought back.

And with half-term approaching hospital bosses are anticipating up to 40 youngsters a day – around double the typical attendances this week.

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But University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust has moved to remind people that the minor injuries unit is not the place for children with illnesses including rashes, fevers, vomiting and diarrhoea.

A GP or a call to NHS 111 should be the first port of call for youngster with those symptoms.

Dr Ann Marie Morris, emergency medicine consultant and clinical director, said: "The unit has been quite busy this week.

"We had 22 people on the first day, 26 the following day and 19 the day after.

"The majority of them had injuries but unfortunately we did have some children with illnesses that we don't see here at the moment.

"We haven't had to divert any parents causing them distress, we have managed to triage and assess them and advise them of the most appropriate place to be seen."

Nursing assistant Jurly Ilao, Dr Ann-Marie Morris, paediatric sister Jennifer Holleran and deputy matron Alison Hopwood

Meanwhile hospital bosses have also decided 16 and 17-year-olds can choose to be seen in the main adult emergency department.

Among the patients this week was 11-year-old Maisie Moore, from Gnosall, who suffered a suspected broken finger on Thursday.

The St. Lawrence Primary School pupil said: "I was having a race and I put my hand out but I tripped up and hurt my finger. It really hurt.

"They have put my arm and a sling, everyone here has been very nice."

Her mother Alex Moore, aged 36, who works at Age UK, said it was a relief she could bring her daughter to her nearest hospital. She said: "Luckily I was at home off work.

"The school rang me up saying they think her finger was broken and I needed to take her for an x-ray. We have already been here this year when she broke her toe.

"It was a great relief knowing we could come here as it is only 20 minutes away, rather than having to take her all the way up to Stoke.

"The staff have been great here."

Deputy Matron Alison Hopwood

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust decided to close children's A&E on August 25 due to an external review which concluded it was 'clinically unsafe'.

While the move was widely publicised, including the Express & Star's own petition calling for services to be reinstated immediately, some parents unaware of situation have still been taking their children to Weston Road only to be turned away.

Meanwhile trust bosses have visited Southmead Hospital in Bristol to see first-hand how an adult A&E could operate alongside a children's MIU.

That led to the decision to re-instate an MIU at County Hospital on Monday, while chiefs have also agreed that 16 and 17-year-olds in full-time education can choose to be dealt with in the main emergency department.

Dr Morris added: "Before Monday we had small numbers of parents turn up with their children and we advised them of alternative options. Some have gone up to Royal Stoke.

"The feedback since Monday has been very good. Most parents have come from the local area, Stafford, Stone and Cannock and they are glad to have the MIU open."

Elaborating on the decision to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to be seen in the adult A&E Dr Morris said: "There has always been a case to be made around having a cut off for 16 to 17-year-olds but at the time we went with the safest option.

"When we reviewed the unit and had further discussions we felt to provide a safe service for that group we would reduce the age cut-off for 16 to 17-year-olds in full-time education.

"They can choose to be seen in the adult department where they will be treated the same as everyone else. We have had a few this week who have chosen to do that.

"Every 16-year-old is different and they may feel more comfortable in the surroundings of the MIU or in the adult department. It is good that they now have the choice."

During the temporary closure staff previously based in the CEC were rotated up to the trust's other site at Royal Stoke. Alison Hopwood, the matron at the CEC, said: "The staff are happy to be back but they have developed quite a lot of new skills having had had a wider exposure to things at Royal Stoke.

"They are now actually more skilled up with regard to treating minor injuries. Staff will continue to be rotated between County Hospital and Royal Stoke."

Royal Stoke has seen up to 10 additional children a day since the closure while hospitals in the Black Country have stated they have seen a small number of additional child patients.

A decision on whether emergency child cases can be dealt with at Stafford in the future depends on the outcome of a review being conducted by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

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