A hospital’s urgent care service has thanked its community for its support in using it for the right reasons – as it marks its success.
The urgent treatment centre at the University Hospital of Hartlepool is a GP and nurse practitioner service treating people with minor injuries and illnesses.
Since opening in 2016 it has been offering a 24 hours a day, seven days a week service for people needing urgent support and have been unable to gain access to their GP.
Over this time the service is treating more than four times the number of patients – with an average of 170 people a day now coming through the doors for treatment every day.
The service is a joint collaboration between University Hospitals Tees, North East Ambulance Service and Hartlepool and Stockton Health GP federation, as part of an alliance running urgent care services in Hartlepool, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar.
Nicola Grieves, head of nursing of urgent care services across University Hospitals Tees, said: “The service is very busy throughout the year.
“That is due to it being well known to our local community and the expertise of our team of health professionals in the service.
“The urgent treatment centre is here to help people with minor issues, something the majority of people completely understand.
“People appreciate the fantastic care our staff give them, as we see in the many compliments we get. I want to thank people for using the service at the right times and for helping contribute to its success, as well as to our own teams for the fantastic care they deliver and their commitment to our patients.”
Helping with a range of issues
The centre – which includes experienced nurse practitioners and health support workers – can help people with issues including:
- Sprains or strains
- Suspected broken bones
- Grazes, burns and cuts
- Minor illness – for example sore throats, earache, eye conditions, stomach ache
The service is not there to deal with complex issues that require continuity. Unless there is an urgent need these conditions should be addressed by a person’s own GP.
Mark Lauder, one of the nurse practitioners working in the service, said: “We are lucky to have an extremely experienced team here.
“We get a lot of thanks from local people who are very appreciative of what we do.”
The urgent treatment centre at Hartlepool is one of four being run by the same staff across the University Hospitals Tees group.
The other sites are located at The James Cook University Hospital, Redcar Primary Care Hospital and the University Hospital of North Tees.
Lynne Morris, another of the service’s nurse practitioners, added: “The service is run slightly differently to some of our other urgent treatment centres it is located on its own and not beside an emergency department.
“The team has a mass of experience – it is humbling to see colleagues working together so well and doing their absolute best for our patients.”
If you need urgent care
If you need medical treatment, please visit NHS 111 or call 111. An experienced call handler will signpost you to the most appropriate service.
This can include setting up an appointment which will support patients to be seen in a timely manner.