Health chiefs to meet in talks to help reduce emergency admissions at Walsall Manor

It comes as the hospital has been given the target of reducing A&E patients by 3.2 per cent in 2015/16 as part of the Better Care Fund objectives.

The Pleck Road hospital, which has had to cope with an increase in patients from Staffordshire, had to deal with 15 per cent more patients in 2012/13, a nine per cent increase the year after and two per cent this year in the period up to September.

Walsall Council's health boss, Councillor Ian Robertson, said it had been a long-running issue and it was a shame that the hospital had been put under extra pressure.

He said promoting other options such as the walk-in health centre in the town centre or the emergency and urgent care walk-in centre at the Manor could help, alongside ensuring people are visiting their GPs where necessary.

Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group held a public consultation earlier this year surrounding the future of emergency care and the walk-in health centre in Market Square, which has to move next year.

It has now been revealed that more than 60 per cent of people who responded wanted to keep the service in the town centre, which is what the CCG will propose subject to approval by its governing body.

Councillor Robertson said: "People need to know there are alternatives such as the drop-in centre.

"They have one at the hospital as well which isn't probably as well known as it should be."

He highlighted that the NHS 111 phone line was also available for urgent but not life-threatening health issues.

Councillor Robertson added: "We are going to meet Richard Kirby and his team on Thursday so they can put their side of the story.

"It's up to us all to get together to reduce admissions.

"I hope we can bring it down as quickly as possible."

In 2013/14 there were 13,579 emergency admissions in the first six months of the financial year, compared to 13,870 this year.

The hospital must cut its emergency admissions under £24 million plans.

The Better Care Fund is part of a national initiative with a ring-fenced allocation of cash with an intention to deliver care closer to home.

The trust has already invested £2m in the last 18 months on improving its community services.

But the BCF plan involves pooled resources and is agreed through Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group and Walsall Council.

It commits a total of £23.9m for the next financial year.