Current waiting times for the Emergency Department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital and the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Stirling Health and Care Village can now be checked online. The information, which can be accessed on the NHS Forth Valley website, is regularly updated throughout the day, and helps people see the estimated current waiting time to be seen. In many cases patients with minor injuries are likely to be seen quicker at the Minor Injuries Unit in Stirling than they would at the Emergency Department in Larbert where patients with more serious injuries are always given priority.

The MIU is open every day from 9am – 9pm and can treat adults and children over the age of one from across Forth Valley for cuts and grazes, minor burns, sprains and strains, eye and ear injuries and X-ray suspected broken bones. No appointment is necessary.

People also have the option of visiting a local pharmacist who can provide advice and treatment for many health problems and is able to provide free medication for a number of common conditions without the need for a prescription, as part of a new service called Pharmacy First.

Dr Andrew Longmate, Clinical Director for NHS Forth Valley’s Emergency Department, said: “We want to provide care in the place that’s best for you. The Emergency Department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital focuses on the most serious accidents and emergencies so waiting times for people with less serious complaints will be longer. You can seek help with minor injuries or other health issues from your local pharmacist, GP or at the Minor Injuries Unit in Stirling Health and Care Village.

“It is also important to point out that these are estimated waiting times as things can change in the Emergency Department very quickly and patients with more serious conditions will be seen first. However, they do give local people an idea of how long they may have to wait and encourage them to consider alternatives for less serious or non-urgent health issues.”

Recently Forth Valley patients were urged to think twice before attending the Emergency Department with a minor illness or injury. Medics identified a number of health issues which do NOT require a trip to the Emergency Department. These include colds and sore throats, common skin complaints, warts or verrucae, emergency contraception, period pain, earache, haemorrhoids (piles), hay fever, head lice, mouth ulcers or dental pain.

Now with winter approaching, which is the busiest time of the year for the NHS, they are being asked again to choose wisely when seeking health advice or treatment and to use the new waiting times facility to help them find where they are likely to be seen more quickly.

Details of the current estimated waiting times at the Minor Injuries Unit and Emergency Department can be found on the NHS Forth Valley website www.nhsforthvalley.com and on the Minor Injuries Unit or Emergency Department pages.