Board decision

Friday, 25 March 2011 10:04

NHS Nottinghamshire County’s Board has made the decision to integrate the services into the emergency departments at King’s Mill Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre.

The NHS Walk-in Centres in Ashfield and Stapleford will be integrated into emergency departments, it has been decided (Thursday 24 March 2011).

NHS Nottinghamshire County’s Board has made the decision to integrate the services into the emergency departments at King’s Mill Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre.

This was the preferred option of 39% of the 1,900 members of public who took part in the formal consultation.  It has also been the clinically preferred option from the outset of the review, which ran county-wide for 100 days.

This decision will see the closure of the current Walk-in Centres.  Patients will instead be treated in their local GP practice or in the new primary care service based at the emergency departments.

Implementation of the changes will not start until after a meeting on 4 April 2011 with Nottinghamshire County Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC), who oversee any substantial changes to health services.  They commended the consultation process and efforts of the PCT to gain the views of local people.

In a vote on Monday 21 March 2011, members from OSC agreed that they cannot support any changes to the Walk-in Centre services at this time.  This was due to the perceived lack of ‘public assurance in place to address the concerns raised through the consultation and therefore cannot determine that the proposals are in the interests of the local health service’.  The PCT will discuss this decision at the above meeting. 

Dr Doug Black, Medical Director from NHS Nottinghamshire County said: “Today’s decision shows the tough challenges the NHS is currently facing, and it was a difficult decision to make.  We need to make sure the changes this brings are more efficient, avoid duplication of services and help patients get the ‘right care, first time.  We are confident that we can deliver reassurances to patients and the public about access to local GP services.”

The consultation ran from 1 November 2010 to 9 February 2011.  It saw 15,000 consultation documents distributed, four public meetings and engagement with 60 local groups.

There were three main reasons for the review:

• Confusion - Many patients go to busy Accident and Emergency departments with minor health problems which could have been dealt with at their GP practice.  All patients should get the right care, first time.
• Value for money - The Walk-in Centres duplicate the services already offered by GPs.  Practices near the centres say they have daily appointment slots available for patients. 
• Equity of access - People who live within a two-mile radius of the centres are most likely to use the centres.  Also, patients with the most health needs, like the elderly, do not use them as much.

The options were:

1. No change.
2. Expansion of Walk-in Centres to offer additional services.
3. Integration of the service with A&E at King’s Mill and QMC. This is the preferred option by clinicians who are leading the review.
4. Complete closure.
5. Your suggestions.

A full copy of the Walk-in Centres business case, including the outcomes of the consultation exercise, can be found in the board papers section of the website.