21 Dec #Colchester: Public asked to share views on the future of minor injury units and Walk in Centres
Clinicians at the North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are asking local people to have their say on the future of the Minor Injury Units at Clacton and Harwich and the Walk In Centre in Colchester.
A period of engagement will take place between 4 January and 1 March 2017. Clinicians want to find out local views on three potential approaches which have been developed following feedback received. They also want to hear from local people about any other ideas they may have. The suggested approaches are:
To continue to commission a Walk in Centre service in Colchester and Minor Injury Units at Clacton and Harwich.
To stop providing the Walk in Centre and Minor Injury Unit services. Patients requiring these services would be directed by NHS 111 and seen by their local GP, Out of Hours GP or encouraged to self-care.
The establishment of a minor injury service – This proposal would see the establishment of a minor injury service which would see and treat a range of minor injuries, from fractures, wounds requiring stitching to infected bites, taking the pressure of A&E. This service would have sites in Colchester and Tendring – dependent on where there is greatest need.
Sam Hepplewhite, Chief Officer at the North East Essex CCG, said: “The current urgent care system across Colchester and Tendring has evolved over time and is complex. This often leads to greater confusion amongst patients not realising which service would best meet their needs, where to access that service and when. There is also much duplication which can further complicate the choices patients make. Our local system needs to make £14m savings each year for the next three years so we need to ensure our finite resources are used in the most effective way possible.”
During September and October 2016, the CCG sought views from local people on how they access urgent care (out of hospital services) across Colchester and Tendring known as the Listening Exercise. They received 1,098 completed questionnaires which were available at the services themselves, through GP practices and on the CCG’s website. Representatives also spoke directly to local people in busy thoroughfare areas of Colchester, Clacton and Harwich town centres.
Sam added: “We are pleased with the level and volume of responses we’ve received to date through our Listening Exercise. I would like to urge residents who have not already submitted their views to take part in our engagement and to also come along to one of our public meetings. We are trying to respond to what local people have told us and what they want from their health care system. We are very much open to new ideas and are committed to listening to all views.”
People can give their views on the proposal in a number of ways:
An online survey – www.neessexccg.nhs.uk
Paper copies of the survey – available at our public meetings or by calling 01206 918653/emailing NEECCG.comms@nhs.net
By post to:
North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group,
Freepost RTUH-EUHB-SYRU
Aspen House,
Stephenson Road,
Severalls Industrial Park,
Colchester CO4 9QR
