THE borough's walk-in-centre based at Holly Hall is closing its doors for the final time tomorrow (Tuesday March 31) after campaigners lost their fight to keep it open.

Politicians from across the political divide called for the centre to be kept open and outraged residents also started a petition but bosses at Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group pressed ahead with their plan to axe the centre and replace it with a new Urgent Care Centre based at Russells Hall Hospital.

Despite recent concerns raised by the hospital's chief executive Paula Clark over whether there would be enough cash in the pot to fund the new centre, the GP-led facility is set to officially open on Wednesday April 1 and will be operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

CCG clinical executive Dr Steve Mann says the new centre, which will be provided by Malling Health, will provide a "single point of access for urgent care - 24 hours a day" and it will "offer a real improvement for all patients in Dudley".

Based within the Emergency Department at Russells Hall, the new facility is for patients who think they need urgent but not emergency treatment for conditions such as minor burns, cuts, strains and sprains, bites and stings, minor illnesses, minor head injuries, minor skin infections and rashes, minor eye conditions, ear and throat infections, stomach pains and suspected fractures.

People presenting to reception with a condition considered urgent or in need of immediate attention will be seen by an appropriate clinician and anyone seriously ill will be referred to A&E next door.

Those not deemed to be in need of urgent or immediate assistance will be referred back to their GP.

CCG chiefs say they "engaged with a wide range of people to design the new service including GPs, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, patients and the public" and they hope the new service will cut pressure on the hospital's busy Emergency Department and ensure emergency teams only see and treat people with life-threatening conditions or suffering a genuine medical emergency.

Dr Joanne Taylor, medical service head for the Emergency Department, said: "The nurses at reception will stream people to the right place for the most appropriate care.

"If anyone is not sure which service to access they should call NHS 111."

But she stressed patients would be best attending their own GP surgery for 'routine healthcare' issues and added: "Our Urgent Care Centre is for emergencies only.”

Meanwhile, the new facility - which has been running in pilot form since March 1 - has already been credited with helping the Dudley Group to top the national league table for A&E targets, for the week ending March 8.

According to NHS England figures - the trust saw, treated, admitted or discharged 99.4 per cent of patients within four hours of arrival, making it one of just 29 in the country to meet the Government's 95 per cent or higher target.

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