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10Aug09

TRAFFORD HEALTH CENTRE

Mark Versallion, Stretford and Urmston's Conservative Parliamentary Candidate welcomed the announcement this week of a new health centre to be located at Trafford General Hospital.

The clinic, to be launched on 1st October 2009, will offer drop-in appointments from 8am to 8pm, 365 days a year.

Health bosses say people living anywhere in the borough will be able to see a GP. But fears have been voiced about how the centre will affect other GP surgeries in the borough.

Dr Ravi Mene, chairman of the Salford and Trafford Medical Practitioners’ Committee, said: "This is a national government initiative and the clinic will have a target of registered patients it has to reach in the next three years.

"My worry is that if it is looking like it won’t hit this target, it will get preferential treatment in terms of funding. We have no problem with this new clinic – as long as it remains a level playing field." The centre will also look after patients from Flixton’s Crescent Medical Practice, which will open two hours a day from Monday to Friday.

Mark Versallion, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Stretford and Urmston, also voiced concerns about the clinic. He said: "I welcome the greater convenience this provides to people who can walk into the centre without an appointment but the reducing number of GP practices mean the ill and elderly have to travel further to see a doctor, and often not a doctor who knows their personal history."

"Combined with the very real concerns that funds could be diverted away from successful local surgeries to sustain these new polyclinics, it is understandable that many people will be keeping a close on the Government's roll-out of these new facilities", said Councillor Versallion.

He added, "I voiced concerns over polyclinics in Trafford last year [May and June 2008] and it seems these concerns are being confirmed. Lord Darzi and the Government’s plans for hundreds of new polyclinics throughout the country are now drastically lower in number and in many cases are re-badged services based at hospitals, not new sites in the community as was originally envisaged. I do wish success for this new service, as it strengthens Trafford Hospital which has repeatedly been under threat from government plans to downgrade and remove services."

Trafford Primary Care Trust, which runs GPs’ surgeries in the borough, says it has no plans to close any clinics.

 

Story appeared in the Manchester Evening News 07Aug09.