Future of city's NHS walk-in centre under review

The future of an NHS walk-in centre is in doubt after health chiefs placed it under review.

According to a report by the NHS the facility, in King Street, Wakefield, "no longer reflects how people choose access to care".

The report, which will be discussed by councillors on 10 September, claimed "fewer people" were using the walk-in centre, because more patients were "choosing same-day help through their GP or local pharmacy".

In 2022, when the service was previously placed under review, more than 2,000 people signed a petition calling for it to be saved with Wakefield MP Simon Lightwood saying closure could lead to a "healthcare black hole".

After the outcry against the prospect of the centre closing four years ago, Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership (WDHCP) secured a new lease on the site, which was due to end in October this year.

A WDHCP briefing document said the contract had been extended to October 2027 and could be extended for a further 12 months.

The new NHS report said health chiefs were "currently developing a range of options for the future of the Wakefield walk-in centre service".

It added: "These options are being considered carefully before any proposals are finalised, so that we can understand the benefits, risks and impacts for local people."

A wider public consultation could be carried out once options have been referred to NHS England, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.