A brand-new Urgent Treatment Centre has opened today at Derriford Hospital, giving people across Plymouth quicker walk-in care for minor illness and injury and taking pressure off the Emergency Department.
Urgent Treatment Centres are designed for conditions that need attention today but are not life-threatening.
At the new Dartmoor Building at Derriford Hospital, clinicians can assess, treat and discharge patients on the spot for problems including:
- Limb fractures
- Sprains and strains
- Minor illness
- Minor head injuries
- Minor scalds and burns
- Bites and stings
- Foreign body in eyes
- Infected wounds and cuts
Patients do not need to pre-book an appointment with the facility open daily from 8am to 8pm, for patients of any age.
There are 14 short-stay drop-off spaces and two disabled bays by the Dartmoor Building, each with a 30-minute limit, with longer-stay parking in the multi-storey. On-site X-ray is available, currently scheduled 9am to 6pm, seven days a week.
Dr Anne Hicks, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, said:
“The new Urgent Treatment Centre will give patients a choice of where to visit when they have a minor illness or injury.
"This increased capacity in the local area will ease the pressure on our Emergency Department, enabling emergency medicine specialists to focus on those patients who are seriously unwell.”
John Stephens, Director of Infrastructure Strategy and Site Services, added:
“The opening of our new Urgent Treatment Centre marks an important milestone in the continued transformation of Urgent and Emergency Care.
"It forms part of a broader programme of healthcare developments at Derriford and beyond, designed to deliver state-of-the-art facilities for the people of Plymouth and the wider South West.”
The UTC at Derriford adds capacity alongside the Urgent Treatment Centre at the Cumberland Centre in Devonport and the Minor Injury Units in Tavistock and Kingsbridge, expanding choice and helping more people be seen in the right place first time.
Rebecca Smith MP for South West Devon said:
“This is fantastic news for Plymouth and the surrounding areas that Derriford serves. The new Urgent Treatment Centre will make a real difference for local people - helping patients access the right care more quickly, while reducing the pressure on Derriford’s busy A&E.
"I am proud that the previous Conservative Government secured the funding through the Future Hospitals Programme. Without that investment, this much-needed facility would not have been possible and I look forward to seeing the positive difference it will make for healthcare in our city.”
The Dartmoor Building will soon welcome further services, including the Fracture Clinic, Main Outpatients and Pre-operative Assessment. Derriford is also progressing a new Emergency Care Building, currently estimated to open in 2028 as part of the Future Hospital Programme
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