Urgent care centre plans move forward

It will open in April next year and treat more than 160,000 patients a year, health chiefs have confirmed.

The new centre will replace the existing walk-in centre at Holly Hall Clinic, Stourbridge Road, Dudley.

It would work alongside the hospital's accident and emergency department and be available 24 hours, seven days a week.

Health bosses say the move will help to reduce pressure on A&E as the centre could be used by the thousands of non-urgent patients who currently turn up at the department.

Detailed designs are being drawn up by Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group for the new centre and work is taking place to consider the types of services it will offer to patients.

A survey has also taken place in recent weeks to determine who could be assessed and treated by a nurse.

This will provide Dudley CCG with information on the numbers and skill mix of staff needed when it opens its doors.

Bosses said they expected to announce the preferred firm to run the centre and award the contract in September.

A Dudley CCG spokesman said: "Shortlisting and discussions with potential providers will take place in the next months and the preferred bidder and contract award will be issued mid-September."

As part of the consultation process Healthwatch Dudley , which represents the views of patients in the borough, was drafted in to carry out an independent patient survey of people attending the accident and emergency department at Russells Hall Hospital and at the walk-in centre.

The results are being used by Dudley CCG to help with plans for the replacement service.

Dudley CCG currently has a £1.4 million contract with healthcare firm Primecare to run the existing walk-in centre.

Plans to close the walk-in centre have proved unpopular with the community. More than 3,000 people responded to the consultation to give their views on the proposals.

And hundreds of people signed a petition calling for the centre to remain open. Dudley North MP Ian Austin and Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden have also spoken out against closing the walk-in centre. There have been concerns raised about proposals to base the urgent care centre at the hospital because of fears that patients could struggle to park. But Dudley CCG says said one way to 'mitigate' the parking pressures would be to introduce a booking system at the centre.

Patients would be able to get advice on the phone, which may mean they need to make an appointment later or be directed ing to an alternative service.