Temporary closures will be introduced at Minor Injuries Units (MIUs) including Paulton on Monday 18th January as frontline clinical staff are redeployed to care for the rising number of patients requiring treatment for Covid-19.

Paulton MIU will also be temporarily closed for NHS 111 appointments and will suspend other services.

Trowbridge MIU will be temporarily closed to patients booking appointments through NHS 111, but will keep some services open including dressing clinics.

Chippenham MIU will remain open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week and will continue to see patients who have contacted NHS 111 either by phone or online and are referred for an MIU appointment.

The closures have been introduced on a strictly temporary basis so staff can be redeployed to provide care where it is needed most. They will be monitored with a view to reopening the units as soon as it is feasibly possible and safe to do so.

Patients with minor injuries should visit the NHS 111 online or telephone service. This will provide advice on where to go for the best care for their symptoms.

Tracey Cox, Chief Executive of Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BSW CCGs) said:

"Our Minor Injuries Units in Chippenham, Paulton and Trowbridge were temporarily closed during the first peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in April, but were opened up again during the summer as soon as it was safely possible.

"We have taken the decision to temporarily close Paulton and Trowbridge MIUs again so our dedicated and hardworking staff can help to look after the rising number of people requiring treatment for Covid-19.

I would once again like to assure local people that these new arrangements have been put in place as a temporary measure and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis."

Julia Clarke, Interim Managing Director of Virgin Care in Bath and North East Somerset, which runs the MIU at Paulton Hospital said:

"Given the mounting pressures on our health and care system, we have taken the decision to redeploy our crucial front line clinical staff to help care for the rising number of Covid-19 patients across our area."