New Hours for Walk in Centre to Meet Patient Need
From the 1st November the Wakefield Walk in Centre on King Street will have new opening hours. The service will be available from 10am until 10pm 7 days a week.
The new hours mean the service is available later in the day until 10pm, and opens slightly later at 10am. The change reflects patient use of the service, which showed greater demand for the service in the evenings, rather than the early morning.
Providing same day support for patients, the centre can provide urgent care for an acute condition that may be dealt with in a single visit to a clinician.
The change in hours also reflects the new GP Care Wakefield extended hours scheme. GP Care Wakefield offers patients access to medical support across the district by calling their own GP number from 6pm until 10pm weekdays and 9am-3pm weekends and bank holidays.
Dr Phil Earnshaw, Chair of NHS Wakefield and local GP said:
“The change in times for the Walk in Centre service enables public access to city centre support, at busier times for conditions which should not require A&E.
“Alongside the new GP Care Wakefield extended hours scheme, we hope patients will use these services and choose to leave A&E for the most serious accidents and emergencies.”
Services offered by the Walk in Centre include:
Treating minor injuries and illnesses, including but not limited to:
Wounds, e.g. superficial cuts and bruises, minor burns and scalds, insect or animal bites, risk of tetanus, minor head injuries- (except in under 2’s and over 65’s as in NICE guidance)
Muscle and joint injury, e.g. strains and sprains, back pain, tendonitis;
High temperature
Headaches and dizziness
Coughs, colds, ‘flu-like’ symptoms and hay-fever;
Ear, nose and throat infections (e.g. minor infections such as sore throats and ear aches)
Eye care e.g. conjunctivitis, styes, removal of superficial foreign bodies;
Stomach ache, indigestion, constipation, vomiting and diarrhoea;
Dermatology and skin complaints e.g. rashes, minor allergic reactions, scabies, head lice, sunburn
Emergency contraception
Post operation wound care
Acute psychological conditions and crisis resolution.