New health centres proposed for Chorley residents

9:40pm Thursday 17th July 2008

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Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust (PCT), which plans and pays for local GP services across Preston, Chorley and South Ribble, has launched an advertising campaign to seek the public’s views on its proposed new primary care access centres.

Following a Government review that found not everyone finds it easy to see a doctor when they needed, the PCT is proposing to create three new additional primary care access centres to support existing practices.

Each new centre would offer pre-booked and walk-in GP appointments from 8am to 8pm and walk-in urgent care services, for ailments and minor injuries, from 8am to 10pm, seven days per week. Some services such as wound stitching, would be provided by specialist nurses, in a bid to relieve pressure on local accident and emergency facilities.

The new service would work alongside out of hours services and complement an existing plan to develop an urgent care centre at Ormskirk Hospital.

NHS dental appointments would be offered seven days a week from 8am to 8pm to registered patients. Emergency dental treatment would be available to all from 10am to 10pm, also seven days per week.

A limited number of patients would be able to register with a doctor at each centre, which would be open to patients not currently registered with a GP. Those registered elsewhere wishing to take advantage of the extended opening hours and other facilities would be encouraged to use the new facilities without changing doctors.

The advertisements are appearing in local newspapers across central Lancashire. They ask patients if they would use a new primary care access centre, the services they would like to see at such a centre, the most convenient locations and for any other comments they may have.

“We believe these new primary care access centres provide an excellent addition to existing healthcare services,” says PCT medical director and GP, Dr Steve Ward. “We imagine the extended open hours would particularly appeal to working people and those not currently registered with a GP. They would enable the NHS to better support patients’ lifestyles, without infringing on those who currently enjoy a good service from their family doctor. They are designed to support and complement existing GP services.”

Comments on the proposed primary care access centres may be sent free of charge to FREEPOST RRGS-YXAG-JRXY, Primary Care Access Centre Views, Central Lancashire PCT, Jubilee House, Lancashire Business Park, Centurion Way, Leyland PR26 6TR or submitted through the PCT website at www.centrallancashire.nhs.uk.