Portsmouth’s newest health centre has marked its first year of operation
Date: 17/08/2010
The Guildhall Walk Healthcare Centre has met one of its main objectives by increasing choice and access to patients across Portsmouth since it opened last August.
In the first twelve months, the centre – which opens twelve hours a day to registered and unregistered patients, dealt with 17,067 walk-in patients.
Staff also have 1,609 patients on the registered list.
The Department of Health instructed every Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the country to develop a GP-led health centre following its NHS 'Our Future' consultation led by Lord Darzi, which found that many people wanted longer GP opening hours and more convenient locations.
NHS Portsmouth, the organisation responsible for meeting the city’s health needs, commissioned the service from Portsmouth Health Ltd, a partnership between Care UK, Ashley House Clinical Services Ltd and a consortium of local GPs.
NHS Portsmouth’s Head of General Practice Carol Giles said: “We do remain particularly keen to encourage greater use of the centre by people who don’t normally access GP services such as the homeless.”
The refurbished two-storey centre at 27 Guildhall Walk is managed on behalf of NHS Portsmouth by Portsmouth Health Ltd, a partnership between Care UK, Ashley House Clinical Services Ltd and a consortium of local GPs.
The new centre offers people greater choice by opening from 8am to 8pm daily, including weekends and every bank holiday.
It was the first GP-led facility to open in the NHS South Central region, which covers Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
During the year, GWHC also a neighbourhood best service award, and staff received a further award for screening the highest percentage of 15-24 year olds per practice population for Chlamydia during April to June 2010.
Practice Manager Kim Dennis said: “We’re had a very successful first year, winning two local awards and the team are looking forward to assisting even more people in our second year.
"The walk-in service has been particularly popular, providing greater access to GP services. We also provide a range of enhanced services for our registered patients such as regular clinics for a range of chronic illnesses, minor surgery, immunisations and vaccinations, emergency contraception, assistance with drug and alcohol misuse and general healthcare advice and check-ups.”
