Walk-in centre planned for Walsall shopping centre

The existing health centre will move from its base in Market Square, Digbeth, to the ground floor of the Saddlers Centre into the unit once occupied by Argos.

The store moved to the Crown Wharf retail park in the town earlier this year.

The plans lodged with Walsall Council show the centre would have half a dozen clinical rooms, as well as additional clinical support rooms, a reception area and waiting room.

But concerns have already been raised that there will be no drop-off area outside the main entrance and the waiting room may be too small to meet demand.

It comes after Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group, which is responsible for commissioning urgent care services, carried out a review into services and held a public consultation last year.

The plans for the facility, which would cover an area of more than 5,000sq ft, state that concerns have been raised about space in the planned waiting area and states that there are regularly up to 60, and at times, 90 people waiting.

A report showing feedback, which was lodged with the application, said: "This includes patients and those accompanying them. Parents with young children often have prams and buggies and more people now use mobility scooters – this further cramps the space available.

"There are often queues outside waiting to enter the walk-in centre."

It also airs concerns over the lack of a drop-off area and worries that there would be no room for taxis or ambulances at the proposed entrance.

The walk-in centre is due to move from Digbeth this summer due to regeneration work in the town centre.

However, health chiefs say it still faces being moved to Walsall Manor Hospital by 2020 under changes to the borough's urgent care services.