Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham carried out a number of engagement sessions, in various public settings, with the local community. We asked for peoples’ views andopinions 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. The consultation period set by the CCG for their proposal ends on 21st May 2013.

We spoke to 200 people, the main themes of the findings are higlighted below: 

• 85% of respondents said they would perfer to see their GP rather then access an urgent care service. 
• Almost 70% of people said they did not want Broad Street walk-in service to be closed.
• There was 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 report highlights that the public are unaware and confused about what urgent care is available and when it should be used.