MORE than 11,000 people and an entire council have demanded that plans to axe four walk-in centres across Wirral are stopped.

The controversial proposals by the local Clinical Commissioning Group would mean the walk-in and minor injuries facilities at Eastham Clinic, Victoria Central Wallasey, Miriam Medical Centre in Birkenhead, Parkfield Medical Centre in New Ferry and Moreton Health Clinic would all go.

Other services provided at these locations, including blood tests, would not be affected.

The plans are part of a wider Urgent Care Consultation by the CCG, which it says is a way of pursuing a system for a “better delivery of care".

The plans would mean a new Urgent Treatment Centre at Arrowe Park Hospital, 1,400 more GP appointments a week, and a local urgent care service for people aged 0-19 at four locations across the borough.

Consultation began in September, and would also see four health and wellbeing centres introduced across Wirral, with the results of the survey and decision to be announced in April next year.

But there has since been huge public backlash to the consultation that is currently ongoing, and at an extraordinary public meeting on Monday, councillors from all parties demanded the walk-in centres are saved and alternative plans created.

Since the consultation began, it’s been widely attacked by health professionals, members of the public and politicians with fears raised over transport, over-congestion at the hospital and how axing the walk-in services would affect communities.

The alleged lack of choice in the consultation - particularly the question over whether the UTC should open 15 or 24 hours a day - has also been condemned.

At a heated meeting of the adult care and health overview and scrutiny committee, councillors voted through a motion urging the proposals to be dropped, with services kept in the community.

The motion, moved by the Labour group, read: “We request that the CCG come back to clinicians and patient groups to discuss meaningful and open proposals to retain existing community based services and improves services not at the cost of them being subsumed into a new urgent treatment centre at Arrowe Park Hospital.”

Speaking after the meeting, Dr Abhi Mantgani of Miriam Medical Centre, who has led the campaign to keep the units open, said he would be happy to discuss developing a new plan with the CCG.

He said: “In calling for return to the drawing board, the scrutiny committee has recognised that local people have overwhelmingly rejected the plans currently on the table.

“Over 11,000 people have now signed our petition. The current consultation gives no option to retain the existing much used and much loved local services. We would be happy to work with the CCG to develop a new plan that can develop a new Urgent Treatment Centre at Arrowe Park and keep the best of the local walk-in and minor injuries units.”

In a statement Wirral CCG said: "NHS Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group notes the motion passed at the Adult Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Wirral Council on November 12, 2018.

"The CCG continues to engage in an open and transparent way and is and has been open to all views and alternatives to our proposals throughout the consultation period.

"The consultation will continue until 12th December 2018 with a range of engagement events for the public, local clinicians and other stakeholders."

Why has it been done?

The CCG said one of the biggest reasons for the changes are down to confusion caused by the current system, which it was told by the public during a “listening exercise” earlier this year.

It’s also to ease pressure on Arrowe Park Hospital’s overstretched A&E service. The CCG said almost half of patients who attended the department last year had an illness or injury that could have been treated elsewhere.

Dr Cowan added: “Frequently, patients see a nurse in a walk-in centre and they are then referred back to the GP or unfortunately into the emergency room.

“That’s something we really need to avoid. So what we are doing is making sure that people are seen in the place most appropriate for their clinical need. It’s about creating a simpler system.

“This is not about taking care away from patients – it’s about making a delivery of urgent care more appropriate to their needs, by enhancing the delivery of care for patients.”

She also said the proposal was not about saving money, adding: “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. No decisions will be made until we have reviewed all the feedback after the consultation.”

The proposals, the CCG said, build on national initiatives being put forward by NHS England across the country.

What exactly is a UTC?

According to the CCG, this is a national requirement, and will provide a higher and more consistent level of clinical service than the current walk-in centres and minor illness/injury units.

It will be led by GPs and provide access to a range of healthcare staff.

Having the UTC located on the Arrowe Park site will mean patients arriving for urgent care will be assessed and directed to either A&E or the UTC to be seen by a GP or nurse.

These are the five questions the CCG is asking Wirral residents as part of the consultation.

1. How long do you think the UTC should be open – 15 hours or 24 hours?

2. What do you think about having an urgent appointment in your local area which you can book, instead of a walk-in option?

3. What do you think of a local walk-in option for children with symptoms such as a temperature, in addition to bookable urgent appointments?

4. What is important to you when thinking about where the children’s urgent care and dressings (wound care) service should be located?

5. Do you think that the model we are proposing improves on what we have now?

For full details about the consultation, and to have your say on the proposals, visit: www.wirralurgentcare.co.uk/