A councillor has called on GPs to open their surgeries from 8am to 8pm to help patients get treament.

Paul van Looy, an independent councillor for St Luke’s ward, in Southend, believes GPs will have to step up if the St Luke’s walk-in centre is moved to Southend Hospital as part of a new approach to A&E care.

The Southend Clinical Commissioning Group wants to move the walk-in centre from Pantile Avenue, despite it treating 1,681 patients a month on average from as far away as Rochford and Castle Point.

Mr van Looy says moving the centre would fail to address the difficulties patients face in getting appointments.

He said: “The walk-in centre should stay until all doctors in the borough open up from 8am to 8pm. Otherwise you’re just making the problem worse, and it will stay a problem until GPs open up longer.

“I went to the walk-in centre with an ear infection and they called up my doctor and got me an appointment straight away, but I had called my doctor before and couldn’t get an appointment. So I was palmed off by the walk-in centre and two doctors got paid for that work – and they’re paid too much as it is.”

The walk-in centre, which opened up in 2008 as one of hundreds across the country, was designed to take pressure off GPs and improve accessibilty to doctors.

However, medical professionals and commissioners believe the service has not taken pressure off GPs, and the CCG wants to decommission it and move to Southend A&E.

This new unit in A&E would mean emergencies and walk-in patients would go to the same area, but only those with emergencies or coming in from ambulances would go to A&E.

Independent Brian Ayling, who also represents St Luke’s, said: “I can understand this, but I have deep concerns over it.

“If the new GP surgery building can incorporate a walk-in style facility where people can get treatment, that would be good for residents.”

Sue Hardy, the chief executive of the hospital, added: “Any development should have the ultimate aim of easing the pressures on our emergency department by directing patients to the most appropriate team to meet their needs.”

The CCG will consult in the next eight weeks over the proposal, and make a final decision in the autumn.

Walk-in centre will not impact on A&E, commissioners say

Commissioners claim the St Luke’s walk-in centre is not designed as an alternative to A&E, and the department will not feel any more pressure if the service is moved there.

Southend CCG has said the majority of people using the walk-in service do so for minor ailments, such as coughs, colds, aches and pains and wouldn’t have gone to A&E.

They say only about 15 people a day would go to A&E with those symptoms.

Dr Jose Garcia-Lobera, chairman of Southend CCG, said: “It is important to remember that a significant part of any new service would involve re-routing patients away from the hospital if they have attended inappropriately.

“This could mean that if a patient attends with a minor ailment, such as a cough or a cold, they won’t be treated at the hospital.

“Instead, staff might redirect them to their local pharmacist, advise them how to self-treat at home or book them an appointment with their own GP.

“The overall impact would be a reduction in people using A&E inappropriately and more support to help the hospital manage its patient flow.

“It will also put more staff on the front line at the hospital.

The NHS abandons walk-in centre concept

THE NHS and the Government support the idea of closing walk-in centres and moving them to A&E.

Walk-in centres were designed to treat minor ailments and reduce pressure on hospitals and doctors. However, this has not resulted in fewer people going to A&E or GPs The College of Emergency Medicine says: “We believe the issue should be dealt with by positioning services where the patient is attending, by locating primary care facilities with A&Es.”