A TEMPORARY building with a fully equipped minor injury unit will be in operation at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital to cope with winter demand.

The facility is being delivered this weekend and is planned to be fully operational in December, giving the hospital additional capacity. It will allow medical staff to see and treat up to 50 patients a day and the emergency department to focus on dealing with serious illnesses and injuries.

The facility will be staffed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s team of experienced staff including emergency nurse practitioners.

Other minor injury units are based in and around the city at Stobhill, the New Victoria and Vale of Leven hospitals.

The units are equipped to treat injuries such as cuts that need stitches, broken bones, sprains and minor burns.

Patients are generally treated faster at a minor injury unit than at an emergency department.

During the installation, the main emergency department at the hospital will remain fully accessible, although some onsite temporary road closures will be in place, with appropriate traffic management teams in place to provide advice and guidance to visitors.

Ongoing liaison with Scottish Ambulance Service throughout the planning process will ensure no disruption to services.

If the new unit proves successful, the health board will explore options to make a separate minor injury unit a more permanent feature of the hospital campus.

Anne Harkness, Director, South Sector, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “We’re absolutely committed to making changes to our services to ensure patients are seen as quickly as possible. This temporary minor injury unit facility is just one of the ways we’re helping reduce pressure on our Emergency Department.

“Winter is the busiest time of the year for our services, and it’s really important we have the facilities in place to help manage the flow of patients with minor injuries.

“As part of this initiative, all of the appropriate planning has taken place to ensure minimal disruption to ongoing services at the hospital throughout the installation and operation of the MIU.”