Patient Information

The minor injuries unit provides a comprehensive nurse-led service for people who have a range of minor injuries as defined below:-

• Minor head injuries with no loss of consciousness.
• Uncomplicated fractures between shoulder to fingers and knee to toes
• Minor burns and scalds. (All airway/inhalation burns must attend A&E)
• Foreign bodies in eyes, abrasions of cornea.
• Retained foreign body such as fishhook.
• Bites and stings (with no associated anaphylaxis).
• Sprains and strains.
• Animal bites.
• Foreign bodies, ear, nose & throat
• Chest injury without difficulty in breathing
• Facial injuries.
• Firework injuries
• Mouth injuries
• Neck injuries
• Minor road collisions
• Closure of laceration wounds by suturing, stapling, gluing or steristrip

Following your attendance at MIU a referral to other services such as your GP surgery can be made for ongoing treatment or support if required.

Please attend A&E if you have a:

• wound with glass/metal/foreign body in child under 7
• wound with glass/metal/foreign body which presents outside x-ray hours (see below for x-ray)
• wound with arterial bleed
• airway/inhalation burns

Please seek emergency treatment by ringing 999 or attending A&E if you have: -

• acute abdominal, chest or back pain
• head injury with loss of consciousness
• major chest injury
• difficulty in breathing
• complicated fractures
• acute psychiatric episode
• diabetic or epileptic emergencies.

Please seek help from your own GP or 111 for Minor illnesses such as:-

• Cough, sore throat.
• Pain for an existing condition
• Joint or back pain not related to an injury
• Dressing changes for existing wounds.
• In growing toenails
• Gout

The above lists are not exhaustive.

X-rays

Following clinical assessment, if indicated, an x-ray can be carried out on site Monday to Friday from 10am until 4pm. Weekends and bank holidays from 10am to 2.00pm.

X-rays can be carried out for injuries between the shoulder and fingers and the knee to the toes only.

X-ray at MIU is not available for children under seven years of age due to the complexity of interpreting results.

Your GP can request that you have an x-ray without the need to attend MIU first . You can arrange this by calling 01268 524900.

Opening times: 10.00am to 7.30pm, Monday to Sunday

Closed: 6.30pm last Thursday of the month. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Please note that there is limited waiting within the unit and you will be asked to either wait outside or in your vehicle once booking in.  Priority for seating in the waiting area will be for patients.

Address: -

Orsett Hospital
Rowley Road
Orsett
Grays
Essex
RM16 3EU
Tel:  0300 300 1527