The Trafford Urgent Care Centre (UCC) and Walk-in Centre at Trafford General Hospital are to join forces from Monday 3 October, in a move agreed by health chiefs last night.
Patients will no longer have to decide where to go for urgent health advice and treatment at the Trafford General site, as there will be a single ‘front door’ and a single assessment process, where patients will be directed to the most appropriate part of the service.
The service will be staffed by GPs, experienced advanced and emergency nurse practitioners, amongst other clinicians, and will operate between the hours of 8am and 8pm, seven days a week. This will ensure that all patients who currently use the service will be able to continue to do so, within these hours.
It has been recognised for some time that the patients who come to the UCC generally do not require the skills of a specialist A&E doctor. It is also known that the numbers of patients attending after 8pm are very low. The decision to move to a new model has been taken following an in-depth clinical analysis of the current service and service users, and in agreement with key partner organisations.
“The change to a nurse-led model of care was always in our plans,” said Gina Lawrence, Chief Operating Officer for NHS Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). “What we’ve been able to do is expand the service that was originally envisaged, and provide advanced emergency nurse practitioners and GPs who will be able to continue the current level of urgent care required. The move to the new model is GP-led and supported by all our key partners in Trafford.
“For patients, it’s business as usual for urgent care and it will be a much easier and simpler service for them to use.”
The UCC, which currently operates 8am – midnight seven days a week, provides care for patients with a wide range of illnesses and injuries requiring immediate attention. The service is provided by Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) and funded, on behalf of the people of Trafford, by Trafford CCG.
Dr Jon Simpson, CMFT’s Clinical Head of Medicine and Community Services said: said: “The new enhanced model of care will provide Trafford patients with a safe and effective service that will meet their urgent care needs. Providing the two services with a single point of access takes away any confusion about where’s best to go for patients.”
Michaela Buck, Chief Executive of Mastercall, who run Trafford’s Walk-in Centre, said: “Closer working between the Walk-in Centre and the UCC will offer a more joined-up and seamless experience for patients. People will just come to the one place to receive the care they need.”
People requiring care after 8pm are advised to use the free-to-call NHS 111 non-emergency medical helpline to be directed to the most appropriate place; or call 999 in a medical emergency, if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
