Packed meeting on Dudley walk-in centre

Health chiefs are proposing to shut Dudley's existing walk-in centre at Holly Hall Clinic, Stourbridge Road, and create a new urgent care centre at Russells Hall Hospital.

Bosses say the proposed new centre would open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and help to reduce pressure on A&E as it would be used by the thousands of non-urgent patients who currently turn up at the department and then would only have a short walk if they need to go to the urgent care facility instead.

Critics have, however, highlighted the historic parking problems around the hospital site.

Dr Steve Mann, who is one of the leaders of the project for the CCG, told the meeting at Brierley Hill Civic Hall last night that problems would be avoided by the ability to book appointments at the urgent care centre before patients arrive.

That idea would limit the amount of time people would need to use the car parking facilities.