PEOPLE in Tiverton and the surrounding areas are to benefit from a new doctor-led minor injuries unit (MIU) set to launch in July this year.

This follows Monday’s (April 14) confirmation that the contract to run a doctor-led minor injuries unit (MIU) at Tiverton and District Hospital has been awarded to South Western Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT).

A formal tender process was launched last year by the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) to run a doctor-led MIU to be open 14 hours a day in accordance with the wishes of the community.

The Trust will now undergo a due diligence process before being able to take over the service from the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust (NDHT), which currently runs Tiverton MIU.

The contract will cover the period between July 8, 2014 and March 31, 2016, while the outcome of the wider NEW Devon CCG Transforming Community Services is being concluded.

Ken Wenman, SWASFT Chief Executive, said: “The Trust is excited about offering the population of Tiverton and the surrounding areas a model that moves the traditional MIU towards an urgent care centre offering and fully addresses their needs.

“SWASFT recognises that investment in local urgent care services is essential to the sustainability of the NHS of the future.

“We are committed to retaining, strengthening and growing our urgent care service lines, ensuring that they are of high quality, clinically safe, cost effective and fit for purpose.

“Securing the Tiverton MIU is another important step on our journey to delivering this for the benefit of our patients.”

John Finn, managing director of the Eastern Locality of NEW Devon CCG, said: “This is a great example of the CCG working with the community to develop a service that people felt was right for them.”