Three Aberdeenshire minor injury units ending overnight hours from Monday

Three minor injury units across Aberdeenshire will be ending their overnight operations from Monday, July 1.

Facilities in Fraserburgh, Huntly and Peterhead will now open from 7am until 7pm instead of operating 24 hours per day.

Patients' first available appointments will be from 8.30am, while the last will be at 7pm, seven days a week from next week.

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John Tomlinson, Chair of the Aberdeenshire Integrated Joint Board (IJB), said: "We know that change can be unsettling and this decision, to alter the opening hours of the three MIUs, has not been taken lightly.

"It rests on a strong foundation of data collected over many months – which shows a low number of minor injury presentations overnight.

"The initial feedback from practitioners and the public been helpful for officers allowing us to describe the different functions of our minor injury service and the role of the out of hours primary care service (GMED).

"The feedback we have received so far about urgent and emergency care is being shared with services."

Vice Chair of the IJB, Cllr Anne Stirling, added: "Like much of the public sector we are facing significant budgetary pressures and will need to make efficiencies and savings of over £20million this financial year to ensure that health & social care services for our most vulnerable residents are sustainable into the future."

Members of the public are reminded that the minor injury service and the out of hours GP services (GMED) are both accessed by calling NHS 24 on 111 and people should not arrive at any of the units without an appointment.

You should call NHS 24 on 111 when:

• you think you need A&E but it’s not life or limb threatening

• you need support with mental health distress

• you need urgent care, and your GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed

Always call 999 in a medical emergency – when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

These can include:

• Loss of consciousness

• Cardiac arrest

• Stroke

• An acute confused state

• Chest pains

• Breathing difficulties

• Severe bleeding that cannot be stopped

• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)

• Severe burns or scalds

• Major trauma, such as a road traffic accident or fall from a height