Doctor reveals Slough NHS Walk-In Centre could close by September

A doctor concerned about further pressures on Wexham Park Hospital has revealed there are plans to close Slough's walk in centre.

In an email seen by the Express, sent on Monday, Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CGG) director of strategy of operations Fiona Slevin-Brown announced that the Slough NHS Walk-In Centre will close by the end of August.

In the message, which was shown to the Express by an anonymous East Berkshire doctor, Ms Slevin-Brown said: "Recently we have come to understand that the service is having difficulties in sustaining safe staffing levels within the walk-in element of the service."

She said that because of this problem, Berkshire CCGs and Berkshire Health Foundation Trust (BHFT) agreed that there should be no short term contract extension for the Albert Street centre.

The two groups have agreed that the walk-in centre's functions should be transferred to Wexham Park Hospital's A&E department by the end of August.

Ms Slevin-Brown says by the end of August, Wexham Park Hospital will be required to operate the recently introduced NHS GP streaming service.

This involves staff 'streaming' patients to appropriate departments as they come through the door with the aim of increasing efficiency.

Ms Slevin-Brown added: "BHFT will be providing us with information on the cohorts of patients who use this service so we can ensure that those patients, including those who access the service for wound care and phlebotomy are considered as part of our future plans."

The concerned doctor told the Express: "It certainly wasn't something we were expecting.

"I think it will be a loss to Slough, but it will also to people from surrounding areas.

"We don't want patients going to A&E. I think our A&E department is already clogged up."

In response, Slough Clinical Commissioning Group chairman Dr Jim O’Donnell said: "We are committed to commissioning high-quality urgent care services for the people of Slough and surrounding areas.

“Over the coming months, we will be talking to service providers and the public about what future services could look like.

"We believe in whole-system solutions that bring together providers, commissioners, local authorities and the public we serve to agree the shape and scope of these services."