As recently reported on Leicestershire Live, patients have complained about being turned away from walk-in-centres in Oadby, Market Harborough, Oakham, Lutterworth and Enderby.
Patients said they were told to call 111, make an appointment and return later.
This is despite the centres being advertised on the Clinical Commission Groups (CCG’s) own websites as walk-in centres that patients can show up to without an appointment and be seen.
Phil Knowles Harborough District Counsellor has advised that he has been contacted by residents who were turned away from St Luke’s in Market Harborough, including “a child who had experienced a ‘blow to the head’, people with cuts that needed tending and others with multiple issues”.
In one case the mother of a sick five-year-old was told to go to two urgent care centres that turned out to be closed before being told to go home and wait for a GP appointment the next day. In the end the mother took the child to Hospital for advice and treatment.
Kathy Reynolds a member of The Patient Panel, an organisation set up to represent the needs of patients in the area has expressed that there is a lot of confusion around how people should be accessing the help they need and she places emphasis on the need for clarity on the CCG’s website if places are not operating as a walk-in centre.
The panel has also raised concerns that without greater clarity, more people will go straight to A&E departments, as they know they will always be seen or alternatively they will not seek advice, which could result in people not getting help when they need it.
Counsellor Phil Knowles argues that the service is not fulfilling its purpose, to serve the community and that the public need to know why the service has been changed.
East Leicestershire and Rutland CCG have advised that:
“Urgent Care Centre staff are in place and can offer a mix of walk in appointments and pre-booked appointments” and that patients “will either be seen at that time or alternatively be offered a slot (this may not be straight away but later that day or the following day)”.
Moosa-Duke Solicitors are specialists in clinical negligence law. If you believe that you or a family member have been a victim of negligence, due to private or NHS treatment, or require representation at an Inquest please do not hesitate to contact us on 0116 254 7456 to discuss your concerns.
