Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group have agreed the timing for the planned closure of Paignton and Brixham Minor Injury Units (MIUs) and changes to X-ray facilities.

These planned changes are another phase of implementing the agreed recommendations from Torbay and South Devon Trust following consultations.

The reasons given for the closures are: nationwide shortages of X-ray staff and the trust has been unable to fill vacancies; that the old X-ray machine in Paignton has broken down and repair is not economic and finally, an increase in both urgent and planned referrals for more complex diagnostic tests, such as CT and MRI, are supported by the radiographer team.

Paignton and Brixham MIUs will close permanently after the last clinics being held on Friday, July 28th. Both sites will continue to operate as Health and Wellbeing Centres. These offer a range of health and wellbeing services and community clinics provided by a number of organisations including some from the voluntary sector, i.e. Health and Wellbeing Teams, nurses, therapists, social care workers and dieticians amongst others.

Brixham, also being a Clinical Hub, will provide a range of medical, clinical and specialist services including outpatient appointments and specialist conditions clinics.

Alternative MIU facilities are available at Totnes, Newton Abbot and Dawlish Community Hospitals.

As identified in the consultation, from Monday, July 31st, all MIUs (Totnes, Newton Abbot and Dawlish) will be open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. This standardising of MIU opening hours is simpler for people to remember, and better aligns with patient demand.

Also from Monday, July 31st, Brixham and Paignton’s X-ray facilities will be permanently closed, with last patients seen on the Friday before.

There will be X-ray services at all three MIU sites: Totnes, Newton Abbot and Dawlish Community Hospitals.

Liz Davenport, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust says: “The opening hours we are planning for community radiology services has been driven by severe staffing shortages. In spite of a sustained recruitment drive, we have been unable to fill all our vacancies.

“The lack of radiographers is a national problem, not just something we are facing here in Devon. We must put patient safety first and these proposals aim to consolidate our staffing, so that we can get the maximum X-ray cover across our three MIU sites.

“We have to balance patient safety with an adequate service provision.”

From Monday, July 31st, the new X-ray operating times will start to be introduced, including a seven day a week service at Newton Abbot X-ray: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm during weekends.

Totnes X-ray will only operate five days a week: 9am to 1pm, Monday to Friday and similarly Dawlish X-ray but will be open in the afternoon:1pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

From Saturday, September 30th, weekend X-ray at Newton Abbot will be extended to 9am to 5pm, when X-ray appointments can be booked at weekends for the first time.

Ms Davenport continued: “Please be assured that we are planning to make the most of the resources we currently have, whilst also maintaining safety standards. People need to be able to get X-rays when they are referred, so we are doing our best to provide an X-ray service at each MIU site, balancing patient safety with likely demand.

“We would like to be able to offer 12 hours of X-ray a day at Totnes and Newton Abbot and we will continue to review this in light of service demand and workforce developments.

“We also need people to use our MIU services in the right way. We know that some people who previously attended MIUs could have seen a pharmacist or their GP or practice nurse. So, over the coming months, we will be working closely with our CCG partner, GPs and pharmacies to direct people to the most appropriate place for their needs.”

There is no change to the way GPs refer patients for X-ray. The only change to the service is where the X-rays are carried out. ‘Walk-in’ chest X-rays will continue to be available where required. Details of sites and times will be available to GPs so they can inform their patients.

Consideration is to be given to the potential for GP collaboratives in Brixham to deliver a minor injuries service similar to that provided in Dartmouth, given the specific needs of the population in Brixham.