An MP has reassured the public there are no proposals to close an NHS walk-in centre after the service was placed under review.<\/p>\n
According to a report by the NHS the facility, in King Street, Wakefield, “no longer reflects how people choose access to care”.<\/p>\n
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”.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In 2022, more than 2,000 people signed a petition calling for the centre to be saved when it was previously placed under review.<\/p>\n
After the outcry against the prospect of the centre closing<\/a>, Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership (WDHCP) secured a new lease on the site, which was due to end in October this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n A WDHCP briefing document said the contract had been extended to October 2027 and could be extended for a further 12 months.<\/p>\n The new NHS report said health chiefs were “currently developing a range of options for the future of the Wakefield walk-in centre service”. <\/p>\n 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.”<\/p>\n