Minor Injuries

Patients are to phone the Flow Centre number directly to access Minor Injury assessment.

Patients who meet the inclusion criteria below will initially be offered a Video Consultation (VC) if they have a smartphone or a Face to Face appointment if they do not.  Following a VC consultation the Nurse Practitioner will either give the patients self-care advice or book a face to face appointment.

Opening hours:  08.00 – 20.00 Monday to Sunday inclusive

Tel: 111

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients 8 years old and over
  • Must be able to make own way to Minor Injuries Unit (can be either RIE Edinburgh, RHSC, SJH or WGH)
  • Injuries within 14 days
  • Wounds less than 24 hours old with controlled bleeding with or without foreign body
  • Foreign body in  nose or ear
  • Crush injury to fingers/toes with no wound 
  • Ring removal from fingers/toes
  • Minor burns or scalds (not involving hands, face or genitals)
  • Head and face injuries not in exclusion criteria
  • Eye injuries not in exclusion criteria
  • Limb injuries (below shoulder or below knee)
  • Animal bites including insect bites and stings
  • Patients with fracture that require review after being treated outwith NHS Lothian
  • Animal bites with localised swelling and no evidence of allergic reaction

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients 7 years old or under
  • Patients who require transport to or from MIU
  • Injuries that happened more than 14 days ago – advise back to GP
  • Wounds that happened over 24 hours ago – advise back to GP
  • Head injuries with loss of consciousness, vomiting/disturbed vision/altered behaviour, underlying blood conditions or patient on anticoagulants
  • Human bites
  • Dangerous mechanism of injury eg fall from higher than patients ow height or road accident with combined speed of 40mph
  • Intoxication or overdose
  • Minor burns and scalds to neck, face and genitals and chemical burn
  • Eye injuries with visual disturbance or penetrating injury 
  • Insect bites with non-localized swelling or evidence of allergic reaction
  • Injury or foreign body to abdomen, chest or back
  • Unsafe environment/social circumstances
Children Age:Video Conferencing consultationBooked face to face appointment
 Children under 1year old Not suitable NO. Self present to RHSC or SJH 
Children 1 year to 7 yearsNot suitable for VC consultation. Book face to face if meets clinical criteria YES – WGH, SJH or RHSC only
Children 8 years to 16 yearsSuitable for VC consultation if meets criteria YES – WGH, SJH or RHSC onlyRIE ED does not see children under 16 years old