The NSHN Forum UK
NSHN Forum Support & On Topic Forums. Some additional boards are viewable to members only => Survivor Room => Topic started by: Vermilion on May 31, 2015, 12:00:40 PM
-
Sorry if this has been asked before but I couldn't find anything via the search....
Sometimes when I hurt myself and need stitches I try and go to a smaller hospital rather than the busy one. This one only has a minor injuries and no A&E or majors dept. When I go there they often tell me that they can't treat any SH as they can only deal with SH at majors/A&E. Is this correct? It seems a bit crap to have to go all the way in to the city and wait for hours just for a few stitches when it could easily be done locally at the MIU. I don't even need or want to talk to the psychiatric people eithier since I've never found them helpful. Don't get me wrong, the staff at the local MIU were lovely, it just seems a bit stupid to have to go to the main hospital, which is miles away, just because it's SH.
If someone could clear this up for me so I have a better idea of where to go for future injures I'd be very grateful. :)
-
Minors usually see to really minor sh, theoretically if it's deep enough to penetrate past the top layer, then it's to be seen at a&e, not minors. If you arrive by ambulance they won't see you for sh, as it's likely to be more serious anyway.
The reasoning is simple, in self harm the physical injury is only part of the issue - it's considered necessary to be seen by people who are able to make sure that you're not in any further danger to yourself at that point, and hopefully put some further support in your direction if required. MIUs cannot provide that extra support, referral or assessment, (wanted or not), and that is why their guidelines are different from minor accident injuries.
-
My local MIU won't treat me for SH either. They said it's because they don't have psych liaison services.
-
Yeah, I can see why they need to make sure I'm not a danger to myself, that makes sense (even if it is a pain in the bum!)
So what sort of SH injury would class as very minor but needing treatment? Would it be for something like steri strips, minor scalds and that sort of injury? I wouldn't go to MIU if it was just a few scratches so what would I go to MIU for?
Sorry for the stupid questions, I just need to make sure I go to the right place.
-
I seem to have had different experiences. My miu have treated my sh on numerous occasions, when in hindsight it hasn't been particularly minor (requiring significant stitches).
Usually as long as the they are sure they can determine the extent of the injury, and there's no risk to vital structures they'll treat it. Sometimes they have decided the injory itself needs further assessment and sent me to a&e for that and other times they have treated the injury itself and then sent me to a&e for mh assessment (but I skip the triage and Dr stage). On one occasion, due to circumstances, they even made a referral to crisis team for me.
I guess by reading this thread I have been quite lucky, and my miu seem to strike a good balance between grating the physical injury whilst not neglecting the psychological aspect.
-
Thanks for replying. It does seem you've been lucky with your local MIU. I seriously wish I could avoid going to the main hospital but it seems to be a waste of time going to my local one for SH.
-
Round here it seems to be pot luck.
Locally I have a Walk In Centre that won't touch anything, an Urgent Care Centre that doubles as A&E triage that may decide to suture as long as they only have to use one vile of lignacaine/send you to minors A&E or sometimes Majors A&E - but it seems to vary based on the person assessing rather than the injury. I've been sent to majors for something less than another time they sutured in the UCC, it all depends on the experience and willingness to suture of the person deciding.
It might be worth contacting them via email to ask them what their guidelines on wounds are.