A busy health clinic used by tens of thousands of local residents, workers and visitors to the West End every year will have to close unless changes to the way it operates can be made, say NHS managers.
The Central London Clinical Commissioning Group are proposing to close the Walk In centre in Soho Square from 31 March 2020 unless the way it operates can be brought in line with new national guidance.
The centre was the first walk-in centre in the country and opened in January 2000. It celebrated its 20 year anniversary in January. The nurse practitioner led service has grown over the years and now treats around 50,000 people a year. Its aim is to improve access to primary care, reduce A&E attendances and increase patient choice.
“There maybe an option to upgrade to an Urgent Treatment Centre but the CLCCG, we suspect, want to close the service,” says The Soho Society in its newsletter.
“The Society thinks that the residential and working communities in Soho need this well-used service to be retained.”
The CLCCG will now have to consult with patients before making recommendations on its future to NHS England.
There are two engagement meetings on 3 and 10 of February 2020 at 5.30pm at the clinic on the corner of Soho Square and Frith Street, and an online survey asking for patients views on the service. Full details of the meetings and the survey are here.
CLCCG Board. Date and venue of next public meeting: 11 March 2020, 3.00-5.00pm, Room 1.1, 87-91 Newman Street, London W1T 3EY. 3pm-5pm, 25 march 2020 Room G.1, Ground Floor, Ferguson House, 15 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JD.