Declares that the Petitioners believe that proposed closure of the Dudley Borough Walk-in Centre at Holly Hall Clinic, 174 Stourbridge Road, Dudley DY1 2ER by Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group should not go ahead; further that the Petitioners believe that, with its 08:00 to 20:00 opening hours, seven days a week, the walk-in centre currently provides a vital out-of-hours service for hardworking people in the Dudley Borough and the wider Black Country, especially on weekday evenings and at weekends; further that the Petitioners believe that the accessibility of the walk-in centre service contributes significantly to a reduction in the number of Accident and Emergency visits which reduces pressure on local A&E services such as those at Russells Hall Hospital.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to urge Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group to keep the Dudley Borough Walk-in Centre open.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Chris Kelly, Official Report, 16 December 2013; Vol. 572, c. 588.]
[P001313]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Health:
The issue referred to has already been subject to a local consultation exercise. Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group is ensuring the views of the petitioners are taken into account.
The reconfiguration of local health services is a matter for the local NHS. This Government expect that similar proposals for service change apply our strengthened criteria to ensure proposals are underpinned by sound clinical evidence and local people are fully engaged.
It is not for central Government to tell local NHS commissioners to open, close, or change a walk-in centre. Commissioners judge for themselves whether a walk-in centre is an appropriate means for meeting the health needs of their populations.