COUNCILLORS have hit out at the decision to close Prestwich Walk In Centre.

Despite widespread criticism, health bosses have chosen to shut Prestwich and Bury walk in centres as part of urgent care reforms that will take place across the borough.

The decision was taken at the NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group governing body meeting as protestors gathered outside on Wednesday, January 18.

Prestwich councillors have criticised the decision and believe it is only adding to the pressure at North Manchester General Hospital and Fairfield Hospital’s accident and emergency departments.

Both of the borough’s walk-in centres will be closed by September this year with patients directed through alternative services.

Prestwich Cllr and Bury’s Lib Dem leader, Tim Pickstone, said: “Everyone I speak to is so disappointed by this decision. We all know there is a crisis in NHS emergency care and that our local A&E departments cannot cope with existing volumes.

“Despite what the CCG tell us, the experience on the ground is that it is very difficult to get a convenient or urgent GP appointment.

“By going ahead with the closing of the Prestwich and Bury walk-in centres, Bury CCG are not only ignoring the clearly stated views of local people in their own consultation, but they’re also ignoring common sense.

“With this decision we’re not just losing two much loved and well-used local services, we’re making our local A&Es worse.”

A report presented to the Bury CCG governing body last week revealed that since alternative services have been introduced in the borough there has been a “dramatic reduction” of 12,989 attendances over an 18-month period at Prestwich and Moorgate walk-in centres.

It also noted that the changes had not resulted in an increase in attendances at Fairfield Hospital accident and emergency department.

Instead, extended GP working hours saw “hundreds of evening and weekend primary care appointments delivered every week”, and about 3,000 Bury patients a month were choosing to dial the NHS111 service during out of hours.

A commissioned Wound Care Service is also being increase to provide care in six locations around the borough.

Stuart North, chief officer of Bury CCG, said: “The intention is people will have alternative ways of accessing the right care place for the right care. We have an urgent care system that is failing despite measures we have introduced in Bury to improve things. The walk-in-centres do not reduce admissions, they just direct people to where they can find care.”

Instead of using the walk-in centres, it is intended that patients with non-urgent needs should call the NHS111 service who will either offer health advice, set-up a face-to-face appointment or direct them to the Bury Virtual Hub.

The hub was launched nine days ago and operates with clinicians who have access to patients’ medical records, enabling them to find the best service to meet their needs. The decision to close the centres follows a public survey process which gathered 1,012 responses from people, 72 per cent of whom strongly disagreed with the closures.

Prestwich Cllr Alan Quinn said: “The whole thing from start to finish has been a major communications disaster. Never once was it announced properly that they were even thinking about closing the walk-in.”

An online petition set up by the Bury Labour Party attracted more than 7,000 signatures.