09 January 2004
Eleven new English NHS walk-in centres are to be set up over the next two years as part of the government's drive to extend patient choice and widen access to health services.
The centres are to be funded from a three-year £40m investment package announced in July 2003 and will be located from Brighton in the South to Darlington, Gateshead and Sunderland in the Northeast.
Health minister John Hutton said walk-in centres offered patients easier access to health services. 'This is particularly true for people who commute to work and who find it difficult to go to the GP during working hours. The walk-in centres give people flexibility to be able to receive treatment at a time and a place that is convenient for them,' he said.
According to the NHS Plan, all patients should be able to see a GP within two working days or a primary care professional within one day by December.
In addition to the walk-in centre expansion, £10m has been made available to fund other innovations that make primary care more accessible, such as nurse-led clinics and allowing commuters to register with a GP near their place of work, rather than home.
PFjan2004
