HEALTH bosses have organised for additional X-ray facilities to be available at Newton Abbot Hospital over the Easter weekend.

Services would not normally run over weekends of bank holidays but the trust has arranged for the department to open from 9am to 5pm across the four-day weekend.

Newton Abbot’s minor injury unit is one of a number of MIUs located across Torbay and South Devon.

Staff at the units can deal with cuts, grazes or wounds, sprains, strains, muscle or joint injury, broken bones, skin complaints, bites or stings, minor burns, including severe sunburn and minor skin infection which needs treatment, emergency contraception, minor head injury, eye problems such as a minor eye infection or scratches.

Liz Davenport, chief operating officer at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘We are encouraging residents and visitors across Torbay and South Devon to choose the most appropriate NHS service to meet their needs over the Easter period.

‘Our emergency department at Torbay Hospital sees around 70,000 patients each year, a number of whom have minor injuries or common illnesses and aliments that could have been self-medicated or treated by a more appropriate NHS service.

‘In addition to our minor injury units, there is also the NHS 111 advice line which is manned by trained nurses 24 hours a day, seven days and week.

‘A number of pharmacies across Torbay and South Devon will be open over the Easter period to ensure that medicines are readily available, and to provide expert health advice.’

Opening times, contact details and addresses of each minor injury unit in Torbay and South Devon can be found at www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk.