Under review NHS walk-in centre will not shut - MP
GoogleAn MP has reassured the public there are no proposals to close an NHS walk-in centre after the service was placed under review.
According to a report by the NHS the facility, in King Street, Wakefield, "no longer reflects how people choose access to care".
The report, which will be discussed by councillors on 10 September, claimed "fewer people" were using the walk-in centre, because more patients were "choosing same-day help through their GP or local pharmacy".
However, Wakefield MP Simon Lightwood said the review would look at "issues such as location, accessibility, parking and capacity" rather than any plan to shut the facility.
In 2022, more than 2,000 people signed a petition calling for the centre to be saved when it was previously placed under review.
After the outcry against the prospect of the centre closing, Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership (WDHCP) secured a new lease on the site, which was due to end in October this year.
A WDHCP briefing document said the contract had been extended to October 2027 and could be extended for a further 12 months.
The new NHS report said health chiefs were "currently developing a range of options for the future of the Wakefield walk-in centre service".
It added: "These options are being considered carefully before any proposals are finalised, so that we can understand the benefits, risks and impacts for local people."
A wider public consultation could be carried out once options have been referred to NHS England, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Lightwood told the BBC he understood why reports of a review had caused concern.
He said: "It is important to be clear that there is no proposal to close the centre, and its current lease has been extended until at least October 2027.
"This review is about how same-day healthcare can best support local people in the future.
"That means looking properly at issues such as location, accessibility, parking and capacity, as well as how the service works alongside GPs and other NHS services."
He said with plans for more city centre living it "made sense" to look at how the walk-in centre would fit into the wider regeneration of the city centre.
"I have a strong track record of fighting for our local healthcare services, and I would never support any reduction in the care available to local people," he added.
"I'll continue speaking with local health leaders and making sure that the experiences and views of local people are heard throughout this process."
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