Meetings on future of Shrewsbury walk-in health centre
Three public meetings will be held over the coming weeks to give people in communities across Shropshire the chance to have their say over controversial proposals to close a walk-in health centre.
The meetings to discuss the future of the walk-in centre in Monkmoor, Shrewsbury, will be held at Crowmoor Primary School in the town and also in Wem and Church Stretton.
Officials at Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group have arranged the meetings in the wake of anger at proposals to close the centre and relocate it to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
The CCG suggested the idea as part of a drive to lower the number of people attending the hospital's accident and emergency department unnecessarily. Officials have claimed an urgent care centre would free up the time time of doctors, and people have also been asked to fill out a questionnaire with their views on the move.
The clinic in Monkmoor Road is currently used by 34, 000 people, and patients would have to pay for parking at RSH should the move go ahead. Those registered at the GP practice on the same site will still continue to receive care at the same location.
Dr Caron Morton, the CCG's accountable officer said: "We firmly believe that this move will allow more people to be seen by the right health professional and receive the most appropriate treatment first time.
"We know that many people who go to A&E could have had their needs met by a GP.
"By relocating the walk-in centre these people could very quickly and conveniently be diverted to see one of its GPs, freeing up A&E staff to see those patients that need more specialist or emergency care.
"Co-locating would also mean there would be sharing of skills, knowledge and expertise between the GP-led walk-in service and A&E staff.
"We believe this will improve care for patients."
The first public meeting will be held on July 31 at Crowmoor School and Nursery on Crowmere Road from 5.30pm until 7.30pm.
Meetings will also take place on August 4 at Wem Town Hall and August 6 at Mayfair Community Centre at Church Stretton.
A questionnaire can be filled out at www.shropshireccg.nhs.uk/ and people can also email their views to ccg@shropshireccg.nhs.uk
