More GPs for Walsall

NHS Walsall is pleased to announce the opening tomorrow 1 April of a new Walk in Health Centre in the town centre and three new GP practices: The Walsall Wharf Practice in Pleck Road, The Village Family Practice in Thames Road Blakenall and The Willenhall Keys Practice in Field Street Willenhall. The new services will mean an increase of 10 GPs across the four new sites as well as more practice nurses, administrative and managerial staff. 

Denise McLellan, Chief Executive of NHS Walsall, said: ‘I am delighted that these new services open today for the benefit of all Walsall residents. This is an exciting time for Walsall patients as we now have four additional services for them to access.’

Dr Sam Ramaiah, Director of Public Health for NHS Walsall said: ‘Walsall people told us they wanted more GPs and it gives me great pleasure to see 10 new GPs starting work in Walsall today. These new GPs will offer tens of thousands of new appointments for Walsall residents every year, which will help us in improving the health of the population.’

The GP-Led Walk in Health Centre, which can be accessed by anyone who lives or works in Walsall with or without being registered, focuses on bringing health and wellbeing to people with busy, active lives that can’t necessarily attend their own GP.  The Health Centre will open in the old Walk in Centre building in Market Square but will re-locate to new premises within the Town Centre late in 2010. It will be open from 8am till 8pm, 365 days of the year, providing care including doing lifestyle checks, screening for chronic diseases and advising on healthy living.

The three new practices will all start off with a team of at least 2 GPs, Nurses and Practice Staff and will all offer extended surgery times in the evenings and at weekends.

All four of the new services will be operated by Phoenix Primary Care Ltd, a local GP led consortium who currently run a number of surgeries in Walsall.

Dr Abraham Thomas, Director of Phoenix Primary Care Ltd, said: ‘I am delighted that we have been given the opportunity to run these new services and extremely pleased to be here opening these new services today.’

For more information on any of the new services or how to register either call in to one of the new practices or call 01922 858550.