New urgent treatment centre opens at Yeovil Hospital today

The way people can access urgent or emergency care at Yeovil Hospital has changed from today (Tuesday 11 November).

The hospital’s emergency department (ED) has been reconfigured so patients are triaged by a nurse at the front door, either straight into ED if it’s an emergency or life-threatening condition, or next door to the newly developed urgent treatment centre (UTC), which can treat urgent conditions.

Examples of an emergency condition include chest pain, heavy bleeding, stroke symptoms (sudden onset of weakness or speech difficulties), abdominal pain, breathing difficulties, and burns.

And urgent conditions – treated at the UTC – include sprains and strains, broken bones, cuts and wounds, bites, minor head injuries, chest infections, throat infections, eye infections, urinary infections, and emergency contraception.

Katy Sizer, our emergency department and same day emergency care service manager, explains the change: “By opening this urgent treatment centre at Yeovil Hospital, our aim is that patients with non-life threatening conditions will be seen quicker, reducing waiting times when our teams must also prioritise emergency patients.

“It’ll also mean that specialised colleagues in our emergency department are freed up to treat those needing emergency or life-threatening conditions.

“While this doesn’t mean we’re getting additional healthcare colleagues, by structuring the department in a different way with extra space, we’ll be better able to meet the demand.”

Dr Joby Kotoor, our lead emergency department consultant, adds: “Anyone who has been to our emergency department at Yeovil Hospital will have seen how busy it often gets, especially in the winter, and this will go a long way to ensure patients get the right care with minimal delays.

“The urgent treatment centre is located next door to the emergency department, and operates similar to Somerset’s other six urgent treatment centres and minor injuries unit.

“There’s no change to the way patients need to present to our emergency department, as they should arrive at the same front door as before. They may be triaged across to the urgent treatment centre where appropriate, where they’ll be seen by a practitioner with the right skills to treat their needs.

“Unless it’s an emergency or life-threatening condition, we advise people to call NHS 111 first, and they may be signposted to one of Somerset’s urgent treatment centres or minor injuries unit, and this now includes the unit at Yeovil Hospital. It may also be that they are signposted to a pharmacy or their GP practice, depending on their health need.

“Please also continue to contact your registered GP practice as normal, and don’t forget to check your local pharmacy first for the seven most common conditions too, as you may be able to get help there without needing to wait at our hospitals – they can also prescribe medicine too.

“We want to thank many different teams and services at Yeovil Hospital who’ve been patient while we develop the new urgent treatment centre, especially our estates and facilities, digital team, improvement project management team, and emergency department colleagues for the work they’ve done to develop it.

“We also want to thank colleagues in our trauma and orthopaedics, patient blood management and anaemia, clinical coding, estates and facilities management, and cardiology departments for moving the location of their departments to enable this to happen.”

Handy advice for using the NHS:

For non-urgent care needs, we would encourage you to seek help from NHS 111, before attending our hospital sites. For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can also visit the NHS UK website.

• If you have a life-threatening emergency, our emergency departments are open 24 hours a day
• If you have an urgent medical problem that isn’t a serious or life-threatening emergency and aren’t sure what to do, contact 111 first by phone they will provide immediate medical advice and direct you to the best care for your needs
• GP surgeries: please continue to contact your GP surgery as usual
• Visit NHS 111 online, which is an alternative to the NHS 111 phone service. It helps people with an urgent medical need to get assessed and directed to the right care, especially if they can't contact their GP, or when their GP is closed.
• Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC) / Minor Injury Units: Attend your local UTC for urgent not life-threatening conditions and injuries such as sprains, fractures and burns. For the latest information on opening hours and services, visit the UTC pages, or call 111.
• Maternity services: If you become unwell or have any concerns about your heath, including your baby’s movements, we advise you to call us as soon as possible for advice. Our maternity services are open 24/7.
• Pharmacy: Visit your local pharmacy for headaches, upset stomachs, aches and pains. You can find more information about pharmacies in Somerset on the NHS Somerset ICB website. Pharmacies can also prescribe antibiotics for common conditions with lower waiting times.
• Mental health support: Somerset’s Open Mental Health Alliance offers support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – and there really is no wrong door when it comes to accessing mental health support.
• Vaccinations: For more information about the flu, COVID-19 and other vaccinations, go to the NHS Somerset ICB website: https://nhssomerset.nhs.uk/my-health/vaccinations
• If you are visiting our sites and you have symptoms of flu, COVID-19 or RSV, please consider not visiting to help prevent the spread of winter illnesses to our vulnerable patients, and to our hard-working colleagues. If you do need to attend and have symptoms please wear a mask which can be found at the entrance to our sites.