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Denis MacShane Says Walk In For Health Advice This Winter
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Denis and some of the nursing staff who are working in the new Walk-in Centre.
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Denis MacShane MP visited the new Rotherham Weekend Walk-in Centre when it opened on Saturday 10 December.
MacShane said, “This is a great town centre facility for Rotherham people, The NHS is putting in extra health services for people when and where they are needed. People who have concerns about an urgent health problem can just call in and see a health professional, no appointments are needed, to get immediate help.”
The Walk-In Centre was first operated over the four-day Easter weekend in March this year. Following its success a more permanent facility will open every Saturday and Sunday and Bank Holiday (excluding Christmas Day) between 10th December 2005 and the and of March 2006 to help ease the pressures on other NHS services over the winter period.
Denis had a tour of the Walk-in Centre and talked to the nurses who are working in this new service for Rotherham people. It will be staffed by Nurses Practitioners, Community Nurses and Emergency Care Practitioners and local GPs who will provide professional and expert help and advice on a wide variety of urgent problems, which cannot wait until your GP practice is open. No appointment is needed – patients can just walk in to the new facility based in the Central Clinic at the old Doncaster Gate Hospital site on Doncaster Gate, near to Rotherham town centre.
The Walk-in Centre can help with a range of problems, including:
• Coughs, colds and flu-like symptoms
• Stomach ache, indigestion, constipation, vomiting and diarrhoea
• Eye and ear problems
• Cuts, abrasions, wounds, bites, stings – care and dressings
• Muscle and joint injuries – strains and sprains
• Skin complaints – rashes, head lice, nappy rash, minor burns
• Emergency contraception
• Women’s health problems – thrush, cystitis, menstrual advice
• Childhood illnesses and fever
• Diabetes and asthma advice.
Jackie Brown, Deputy Director of Provider Services at Rotherham Primary Care Trust, said: “Winter and especially Bank Holidays are always a busy time for the NHS, particularly A&E departments and the out-of-hours GP Service. But there are alternatives for patients with less serious problems, and we believe the Walk-in Centre will prove very useful and popular with Rotherham residents. It will also free up doctors and nurses in A&E to deal much more quickly and efficiently with the people with more serious problems who need their help.”
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