A WALK-in centre that serves South Essex could be closed down, with patients instead sent to A&E.

Health bosses at Southend Clinical Commissioning Group want to relocate the services provided at St Luke’s walk-in centre in Pantile Avenue, Southchurch, to the hospital.

The new system would allow medics to assess patients as they enter the hospital and direct them to where they need treatment.

It is hoped this will stop people with minor ailments clogging up the A&E team, but concerns have been raised that it would simply intensify issues within the department, which is already under heavy pressure.

Melanie Craig, chief officer of the group, said: “We would have the opportunity to develop an entirely new service incorporating the A&E minors pathway. This would significantly reduce pressure on A&E by ensuring patients were routed to the best place for the care they need. Colocation would also put more staff at the front line.

“We will continue to work with our GPs to help them improve access for their patients at their own surgeries as many are starting to do, such as Thorpe Bay and Queensway.”

The NHS and the Government both support the idea of closing walk-in centres and re-locating them to A&E.

James Moyies, who is cabinet member for health at Southend Council, said: "This strikes me as a retrograde step but I will wait to hear the logic behind it.

"I am calling for an urgent meeting between the council and the CCG and I will get this issue to the authority's scrutiny committees.

Walk-in centres were piloted in the early 2000s and opened all over the country in 2008, but the numbers going to A&E departments has continued to rise.

Ms Craig added: “The recommendation to our governing body follows national guidance that primary care facilities should be co-located with A&E.

“This guidance is supported by the Department of Health, NHS England and many other leading health bodies. This guidance is aimed at making our emergency services more resilient.”

The CCG is considering keeping St Luke’s where it is or simply adding it somewhere on the hospital site, but its preferred option is integrating it with the hospital.

The CCG will also take over the £400,000 budget for St Luke’s when its contract with Care UK ends, which it plans to invest in the re-modelled service.