March 2003
From BMJ-British Medical Journal
More evidence needed on true impact of NHS walk-in centres Effect of NHS walk-in centre on local primary healthcare services: before and after observational study BMJ Volume 326, pp 530-2 Introduction of NHS walk-in centres may not affect the workload of local general practitioners, but more evidence is needed to determine their true impact on other local healthcare services, according to two studies in this week's BMJ.In the first study, researchers compared the activity of primary and emergency healthcare services for two towns in Leicestershire, before and after a walk-in centre opened in one of the towns. They found no significant effect on general practice emergency consultations, the availability of routine appointments, use of out of hours services, or the number of calls to NHS Direct. However, the workload of the local minor injuries unit increased significantly, probably because it was in the same building as the walk-in centre. In the second study, researchers assessed the impact of NHS walk-in centres on the workload of 20 accident and emergency departments, 40 general practices, and 14 out of hours services in England. They found a reduction in consultations at emergency departments and general practices close to walk-in centres, although these reductions were not statistically significant. Walk-in centres did not have any impact on out of hours services. To determine whether walk-in centres reduce the demand on other local NHS providers will require study of a large number of sites over a prolonged period, they conclude. | |