Walk-in centres used by thousands from Rochdale and Heywood set to close

NHS

The Walk-in Centres in Bury and Prestwich, used by thousands of patients in Rochdale and Heywood every year, are to close after the Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) unanimously agreed to implement a new model for urgent care in the town on Wednesday (18 January).

In August 2016, Bury CCG proposed the closure of the walk in centre at Moorgate Primary Care Centre, Bury, and Fairfax Road Walk-in Centre, Prestwich. After a two month period of engagement with stakeholders and members of the public, the decision has been taken to close Bury walk in Centre in March 2017, and Prestwich Walk in Centre in September 2017.

In 2015/16, 3,367 patients from the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale (HMR) CCG attended a Bury walk in centre. The initial proposals from August 2016 said that HMR CCG would be the most impacted of neighbouring CCGs, and now only Rochdale Infirmary and Middleton Health Centre will provide urgent care services for patients in Rochdale.

Bury CCG say the proposal for future urgent care in Bury includes a rationale that there was no further place for the town’s walk in centres due to:

• Newly introduced services that replicate those in the walk in centres
• Evidence that a large number of patients could have been treated for their low level illnesses and conditions by other means including pharmacists
• Consistently dwindling numbers at the centres – almost 13,000 less patients have attended the centres over an 18 month period
• The centres are seeing a large number of non-Bury registered patients
• The need to utilise the resources spent on the walk in centres in other ways in the future urgent care system

The new urgent care model consists of existing and new features including:

• NHS 111 signposting and advice line, already being used by approximately 3,000 Bury patients a month
• Appointments with GPs and practice nurses in various locations in evenings and at weekends
• A bespoke wound care service is now delivered across six locations in Bury
• New standards that are delivered by all GPs ensure that poorly under 12s are given an appointment the same day

A spokesperson for Bury CCG said: “The key themes that the CCG took from feedback in the engagement phase are that patients and professionals view the current urgent care system as confusing and that patients want to get the right care from the right place at the right time.

“The CCG acknowledged that there was a strength of feeling from public members who took part in the survey and some stakeholders towards keeping the walk in centres as part of the future urgent care landscape. Notwithstanding this, the governing body agreed that the walk in services, as they operate presently, would not form part of the future system, although the buildings in which they operate will continue to deliver health and care services in a different capacity.”

A spokesperson for HMR CCG said: “The majority of patients in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale can access services for longer hours at their own GP surgery, or at one of the extended hours hubs than ever before. A GP can be accessed in the evening, at weekend and on bank holidays at any one of four local hubs.

“The four hubs, two in Rochdale and one each in Heywood and Middleton are accessible on an appointment basis to any registered patient of a GP in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale. Access to the hub appointments can be made by contacting either your own GP surgery or directly on 0161 763 8292. Hub appointments are available Monday to Friday 6.30pm to 9pm. Saturday 8am to 6pm, Sunday 10am to 1pm and bank holidays as Saturdays.

“Community pharmacists are also an invaluable source of guidance and advice. Eligible patients in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale can benefit from the minor ailments scheme at most pharmacies, which allows them to obtain remedies for minor conditions, at no cost, without a prescription.”