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The Junction Health Centre
Walk-In Services
Access to services at The Junction Health Centre is changing
New national standards for urgent care
The NHS nationally has decided to standardise urgent care facilities across the country.
There are currently a lot of different types of urgent care services, including the ‘walk-in’ model which is in place at The Junction Health Centre. The idea is to help make it easier for people to see a GP by making it less confusing, so people know what to expect.
From 2020, urgent care facilities not based at an A&E department must meet a set of standards to be renamed Urgent Treatment Centres. NHS commissioners have been reviewing urgent care facilities locally and looking at whether they meet the new standards - or whether changes are required.
As well as the walk-in service, we already have a ‘GP hub’ service at The Junction Health which means GP appointments are available in the evenings and at weekends to patients registered with a Wandsworth GP.
The Junction Health Centre is one of three locations across Wandsworth providing this new service, which is open between 6.30pm and 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am and 8pm every Saturday and Sunday - including public holidays.
We’ve also created more appointments across all GP practices so registered patients can see their GP within four hours between 8am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday, when clinically appropriate.
What would services look like under the proposals?
We know that patients currently being seen at The Junction walk-in service are going there to receive primary care treatment for minor illnesses and conditions - rather than urgent care.
We are therefore proposing to use the capacity in the current walk-in service to increase the number of appointments available through the GP hub service.
We think this change would improve care for the following reasons:
• When you use the hub service, the GP you see has access to your medical records. This means they know about your previous health conditions so can offer you the best advice and treatment for your needs.
• The hub service is also joined up with other GP practices in Wandsworth – so if you need further treatment your GP practice will know all the details so they can support you better.
GP hub appointments are not just for urgent medical appointments – so the service allows patients to see a GP in the evening and at weekends for more routine check-ups too.
When people who aren’t registered with a GP come in for an appointment at the hub, we are able to support them to register with a practice near to where they live should they choose to.
For more information please visit: www.wandsworthccg.nhs.uk/getinvolved
