A NEW walk-in health centre is not needed because there are enough GPs in Barnsley to cope with demand, NHS bosses claim. What do you think?
Mark Wilkinson, chief officer of NHS Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group, said there were no plans to open a new GP walk-in centre to replace the one which was at Gateway Plaza.
The centre, for non-registered patients, was designed to allow people to get treatment for non-urgent medical problems and finally closed in November 2011, more than a year after the walk-in element of the unit was shut.
Mark said the number of people attending the accident and emergency department at Barnsley Hospital had not changed significantly over the past few years but there had been a growth in the number of poorly people attending the department with complex needs, and others who could have gone elsewhere.
He said services such as the NHS 111 service could be used when help was needed urgently, but not in an emergency.
He added: "We're also exploring a bigger role for local pharmacies, for example in the treatment of minor ailments."
Do you think the town needs a new walk-in centre? Have your say below.
