Anger at proposals to AXE Wirral walk-in centres

It was announced on Thursday that as part of huge proposed changes to the way NHS Wirral’s Clinical Commissioning Group runs its services, the walk-ins at Eastham Clinic, Victoria Central Wallasey, Miriam Medical Centre in Birkenhead, Parkfield Medical Centre in New Ferry and Moreton Health Clinic could ALL go.

It’s in a bid to make the system less confusing, ease pressures on A&E and move care “closer to home”, but has been met with hostility by residents and local politicians alike.

A consultation into the proposals began on Thursday, and Angela Eagle, MP for Wallasey said she was “shocked and alarmed” at the news.

She said: “We have seen time and time again with this Tory Government and their failing austerity agenda that they are prioritising cost cutting at the expense of vital local services.

“I will be writing to the CCG to seek an urgent meeting on these proposals. I will continue to oppose any loss of health services in Wallasey. This Tory Government’s attacks on our local health services have gone far enough.”

As part of the move to close the walk-ins, more GP appointments and local “health and wellbeing centres” would be introduced instead.

The Urgent Care Consultation proposals would see the creation of a new Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at Arrowe Park Hospital, where a range of healthcare staff would be located. It could open up to 24 hours a day.

Two more Wirral MPs have also reacted to the news, with Birkenhead’s Frank Field saying it was important people’s views on the proposals were heard.

He said: “We now need people to be aware of what these proposals might mean for them, and for the health authorities to spell out exactly how we will be treated under the proposals.”

Wirral West MP Margaret Greenwood described it as a “real matter of concern”, adding that the CCG must come forward with more detailed information about the new services.

She said: “It is particularly important that the CCG explains what the proposed changes would mean for vulnerable people with mobility problems and those who rely on public transport.

“It is also vital that people are given assurances about the long-term future of the A&E department at Arrowe Park Hospital.”

As well as MPs, elected members of Wirral council have also had their say on the move, with criticism voiced across the political spectrum.

Cllr Julie McManus, who is chair of the council’s adult care and health overview and scrutiny committee, said: “I am mindful that we remain open minded to any reports put before us to scrutinise.”

She said she has asked for a special meeting of the committee to take place in November, adding: “I would encourage all Wirral residents to take part in the consultation.”

Fellow committee member, Labour’s Cllr Tony Norbury said the move was down to a “Tory attack on our NHS”, calling it a “disgrace”.

He added: “We are moving towards an American system where those who can afford will have to pay and those who can’t will die.”

Conservative group leader Cllr Ian Lewis said the current confusion for many about the CCG’s services was due to “the almost never ending reorganising and rebranding of services”.

He added: “I fail to see how introducing yet another option – health and wellbeing centres – will reduce that confusion.

“None of the extra money being invested in Wirral’s NHS should be wasted on yet another reorganisation.”

Lib Dem leader Cllr Phil Gilchrist said that people need to know whether the new services will be “as good as or better than we have now”, adding: “[We] need clarity and certainty.”

Green Party member Cllr Pat Cleary said the move “will deprive the people of Wirral of local, easily accessible and greatly valued treatment centres”, and seems “impossible to justify”.

He added: “Transport links to Arrowe Park are inadequate, time consuming and expensive for many. The site is frequently congested and this would only get worse under these proposals.”

The news comes after a community campaign saw walk-in services at Eastham Clinic saved last year, with full opening hours having returned in May.

It had been earmarked for permanent closure, but remained open thanks to a public outcry from politicians, residents and businesses.

As well as politicians, residents have also been responding to the news on social media. Stephen P Roberts wrote on Facebook: “Can’t get a GP appointment for two weeks but, sure… Magic some more up!”

Rosie Briffa added: “Unbelievable that they are thinking of closing Eastham walk-in yet again! Absolute nonsense.”

Steve Johnson wrote: “Walk-ins aren’t much use to be honest, all they do is extend the waiting time for hospital A&Es as they usually tell you to go to hospital as there is nothing they can do. Ok for blood tests etc. but anything moderately serious best cut the middleman out and go straight to A&E.”

Lorna Afair added: “These places are a godsend, some areas can’t get appointments with GPS for weeks on end. They relieve pressure on the GPs and A&E.”

While Hayley Barro said: “These were brought in to help the hospitals, now they’re being taken away? Very odd.”

Dr Paula Cowan, medical director of Wirral CCG, said people spoken to ahead of this consultation made it “very clear” they thought the variety of local services was “confusing”.

That meant patients moving between different services, taking longer to get care, or using emergency services when they didn’t need to. Last year saw “almost half” of patients at Arrowe Park Hospital’s A&E with an illness or injury that could have been treated elsewhere, she said.

Dr Cowan added: “The model of care we’re proposing simplifies choice while offering more urgent care closer to home.

“We also want to introduce more urgent appointments to replace the walk-in option and we believe this will actually improve access. People won’t have to wait for an unspecified amount of time like they do currently, but will be able to fit an urgent appointment around their day.”

According to Dr Cowan, as part of the national GP extended access scheme and separate from the consultation, Wirral has recently started providing around 700 extra appointments each week from 8am to 8pm, including on weekends.

Under the new proposals, people would have access to bookable urgent appointments with either a GP or nurse within 24 hours, seven days a week, 8am-8pm, if their own practice was unable to provide an appointment.

Alongside the UTC, the CCG is proposing specialist walk-in and bookable urgent care service for children ages 0-19 at yet-to-be-announced locations across the borough.

It would also mean a bookable service specifically for wound dressings in four areas of Wirral.

Dr Cowan added: “We want to redesign services to best meet the needs of individual communities and the needs of Wirral as a whole. This is not about saving money and we won’t be spending any less on urgent care services as a result of this proposal.

“We have a responsibility to make sure the local NHS is as efficient as it can be and our proposals have been carefully planned and include input from the public, stakeholders and NHS staff. We now need the people of Wirral to look at our proposals and share their views.”

For all of the information on the consultation, as well as how to fill out the survey, visit: http://www.wirralurgentcare.co.uk/