Plans at 'very earliest stages' for successor to Walk-in Centre

Plans are at the 'very earliest stages' for a town-centre successor to Walsall's popular Walk-in Centre, Paul Jennings, Chief Executive of Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust (Walsall tPCT) confirmed today. The proposals, which would go out for public consultation once they were developed in detail, would involve the creation of three GP practices, a Walk-in Centre-style Health Centre incorporating doctors and nurses, and a move for the Dental Access Centre to a new home next to a proposed Emergency and Urgent Care Centre on the Manor Hospital site. However, Mr Jennings cautioned, details had not yet been determined, and the Primary Care Trust was considering all the changes together as a single package to raise unscheduled and primary care to a new level in the borough.

The existing Walk-in Centre, which opened in Spring 2001, was one of the first in the country, and was the first to incorporate a Dental Access Centre for people with urgent dental needs who were not registered with a dentist. The tPCT has since developed the concept in other parts of the borough, introducing Britain's first Nurse-led General Practice, in Blakenall in 2004, and a further Dental Access Centre at Blakenall Village subsequently. The Walk-in Centre has provided early until late nurse-led treatment since its inception, but there have been calls for GP services to be available as well.

"We are looking at a raft of changes, which together can substantially improve unscheduled and GP care in the borough." said Paul Jennings today.

"The government has given us money for three new GP practices, and we are intending that one of these should be in Blakenall, one in Willenhall, and one in the town centre — quite possibly in the existing Walk-in Centre building.

"We are also receiving funding for a new Health Centre, which will be a Walk-in style Centre with the addition of GP doctors available. Like the existing Walk-in Centre, this would be in the centre of Walsall and would be open early till late seven days a week including Bank Holidays. Ideally we would place it more centrally than the current building, which is a bit on the edge of things.

"We've announced today a consultation on an Emergency and Urgent Care Centre to be based alongside Accident and Emergency on the Manor Hospital site. As part of this and our other moves, it makes sense to put the Dental Access Centre there, as it mainly caters for people who have some kind of dental emergency. This will also mean that we can give our dentists the improved facilities they have been asking for.

"As soon as we can get the details sorted out, we will take all this to the people of Walsall as a public consultation. Right now, we are telling staff about the possible implications of these moves. We will also be asking the members of MyNHS Walsall, our community membership programme, for broader thoughts on how we should be developing GP services, the Dental Access Centre and unscheduled care in general. I would urge anybody interested in taking part in that conversation before we go to a formal public consultation to join MyNHSWalsall, which is free, at www.mynhswalsall.net.

"Taken together, this will be the most substantial package of new investments in primary care in Walsall for many years. That's why it's important that we get the details right, and that the public stays informed throughout the process."