‘A Response from the Public’ to Barking & Dagenham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Consultation – Proposals for Urgent Care Services and the Broad Street ‘Walk-in’ Service

Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham carried out a number of engagement sessions, in various public settings, with the local community.

We asked for peoples’ views and opinions concerning proposals put forward by Barking & Dagenham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) about urgent care services and the closure of the walk-in service at Broad Street Medical Centre.

Representatives from Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham attended Broad Street Medical Centre, Church Elm Lane Medical Centre, Dagenham Library and the Community Voluntary Sector (CVS) Open Day to consult with local people on the proposals for urgent care services and the closure of Broad Street walk-in centre.

In total, Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham engaged with 200 individuals who completed the questionnaire.                                                                           

Summary of findings:

• Of the 200 people asked, 85% would rather use their GP if they could get an appointment in a timely way.

• Almost 70% of people did not always get an appointment with their GP quickly enough.

• There was a source of constant frustration in not being able to do so and of lengthy

• delays in getting calls answered via the GP practice telephone answering services.

• Almost 70% of people said they did not want Broad Street walk-in service to be closed.

• There is fear and concern that sufficient alternative urgent care services would not be in place.

• Over 50% of respondents did not know of any other urgent care services apart from those at Broad Street walk-in centre.

• The public are unaware and confused about what urgent care is available and when itshould be used; terms such as A&E, urgent care, minor injury, polyclinic, walk-in centre and ‘out of hours’ services are a source of confusion in the public’s mind as these all seem interchangeable and vary in the services they provide.

• Out of the 200 people questioned, almost 70% were unaware of the CCG’s public consultation exercise concerning urgent care services and their proposal to close theservice at Broad Street walk-in centre.

• Anecdotal evidence, though not quantifiable, indicated a strong feeling that Dagenham would be left with less services and that they would be inferior to those provided in the Barking area of the borough.

Please click here to read the final report

Click here to read the response from the CCG

Barking and Dagenham CCG agreed with proposals to decommission the walk-in service at Broad Street, Dagenham at its governing body meeting on 25 June, 2013.

For associated documents click here