Injured people across Worcestershire are being advised to visit their nearest Minor Injuries Unit rather than a hospital A&E this winter unless it is an emergency.

NHS bosses say the Minor Injury Units (MIUs) offer much shorter waiting times than A&E departments and can treat a wide range of non-emergency injuries, such as cuts, sprains and minor burns.

The MIUs in Malvern, Evesham, Tenbury and Bromsgrove

are run by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and the unit in Kidderminster is run by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Winter is the busiest time for the two A&E departments at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester and the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and waiting times at the MIUs are often around only twenty minutes.

Sandra Brennan, director of quality and executive lead nurse at Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “The staff at the Minor Injury Units are trained nurses who have knowledge and skills to deal with a range of minor injuries.

"Often people wait hours in A&E with minor injuries which they could have had treated in a Minor Injury Unit and with pressure on emergency departments greater this time of year, we are urging people to really think about what the most appropriate options are.”

For Minor Injury Unit opening times and addresses visit www.hacw.nhs.uk/MIU