A PATIENT has complained after being turned away from the Trowbridge Minor Injuries Unit at 4.10pm because it had already closed ten minutes earlier.

The patient – whose name was not disclosed – posted a message on local social media saying they had been told by nursing staff to ‘go to Chippenham’ instead.

They said: “It's getting bloody worse! Might as well just not bother asking for medical help nowadays.”

The Trowbridge MIU opens from daily from 8.30am to 4pm, while the Chippenham MIU opens every day from 8am to 8pm.

The patient may have been confused by the opening times for Trowbridge Community Hospital, which stays open until 4.30pm.

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Health and Care, which runs the MIUs in Trowbridge and Chippenham, said: “The Trowbridge MIU closes at 4pm. They would have been asked to go to Chippenham MIU which closes later.

“It appears that Trowbridge Community Hospital has been advertised to close at 4.30pm, which may have caused the confusion.

“Trowbridge MIU opening has remained 8am to 4pm daily since the Covid pandemic and there has never been a change in closing time from 4.30pm to 4pm.”

WCH says on its website: “Chippenham and Trowbridge MIUs are open for walk-in patients and for patients who have contacted NHS 111 either by phone or online and have been advised to attend. 

“This service has been designed to maintain the safety of patients and staff. Patients will be assessed on arrival but may need to wait to be seen or directed to another service to receive the appropriate care.

“NHS 111 will continue to triage all calls and if a patient meets the criteria they will be referred to a unit to attend. Anyone with a life-threatening condition should call 999.”

One respondent said: “The hospital should be made into a proper hospital again. We’ve got so many people now in the UK, we need more hospitals and more GP surgeries.”

Another said: “They close at 4.30. They stop letting people in for assessment at around 4pm if they’re busy, otherwise they’d never get to leave.”

One person commented: “You go at 4.10 and they close at 4.30. Do you really think you’re going to be assessed and treated in 20 minutes?”

Other respondents said the NHS is under-funded, broken and no longer fit for purpose and that it’s near-impossible to get a face-to-face appointment.

One said: “It’s always worth phoning 111 as they can let you know the best place to go locally to get the medical help you need.”

The patient’s complaint led to calls from other people to provide more funding for the NHS or convert the Trowbridge MIU in Seymour Road back to a ‘proper’ hospital again.

A new ‘state-of-the-art’ £20 million community integrated healthcare centre is due to be built next to Trowbridge Community Hospital during the next few years.

The MIU typically treats patients with minor injuries such as cuts and lacerations, burns and scalds, strains and sprains, bruises and dog and cat bites, insect bites and stings, and splinters.

Patients with more serious injuries such as stab wounds, chest pains, shortness of breath, confusion and a change in consciousness are advised to attend Accident & Emergency departments.

Wiltshire Health and Care advises: “If you have Covid-19 symptoms do not attend any medical settings unless explicitly directed to do so by the NHS 111 service or a 999 call operator.

“In an emergency phone 999 or go to the nearest Emergency Department. A yellow phone is located at the MIU entrance and can be used to call 111 or 999.”