Confusion at Derriford as new Dartmoor urgent care centre leaves patients unsure

Two months after the launch of the new Dartmoor Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at Derriford Hospital, local health staff say many residents are still attending the Emergency Department (ED) with minor injuries and illnesses that could be treated elsewhere. 

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust says it has recorded around 40 to 50 cases of people coming to A&E with conditions suitable for the UTC since the facility opened.

The Dartmoor UTC, based in the new Dartmoor Building, was created to ease pressure on the hospital’s busy Emergency Department by offering walk-in treatment for non-emergency problems. 

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It operates seven days a week from 8am to 8pm, and despite this, hospital teams say confusion about where to go for treatment still remains.

As a result, patients who arrive at A&E with minor injuries or illnesses are now being redirected to the UTC or to other local centres, including the Cumberland Centre in Devonport and the Minor Injury Units in Tavistock and Kingsbridge. 

Outside opening hours, people with minor conditions may be asked to return the next day and wait at home until services reopen.

Consultant in Emergency Medicine Ian McCarthy said the aim is to ensure that people are seen “in the right place, at the right time” and that those with the most serious, life-threatening problems can be treated quickly. 

He said many of the cases still coming to A&E, including suspected sprains, small fractures, minor head injuries, burns, cuts, bites and stings, are more suitable for treatment at an urgent care or minor injury facility.

The Trust has recently begun a new public information campaign to explain what the Dartmoor UTC can treat and how it differs from the Emergency Department. 

Communications staff say the campaign is still in its early stages, and they expect to have “evidence-based results” in the coming weeks to indicate whether local behaviour and attendance patterns are starting to change.

The Moorlander contacted the Trust for early data on A&E attendance, waiting times and referrals since the Dartmoor UTC opened, along with feedback from clinical teams and patients. 

The Trust says more detailed figures will be available once monitoring work is complete.

Residents unsure where to go are encouraged to contact NHS 111 for advice or check updated waiting times on the Trust’s website.