Long-awaited new guidance set to be approved this week by the Greater Manchester Health & Social Care Partnership retains a commitment to walk-in services in each borough, providing a boost for James Frith’s campaign to keep Bury Walk-In Centre open.

James, who was elected MP for Bury North in June after making his campaign to save Bury Walk-In Centre his number one priority, met this week with the Chief Executive of the GM Health & Social Care Partnership to press on him the strong desire of the people of Bury to keep a walk-in centre in the town.

The guidance, the ‘GM Model for 24/7 Urgent Care’, states that there will be:

“One Urgent Treatment Centre in each locality (e.g. CCG footprint) that will receive referrals from General Practice, A&E, NWAS, NHS 111 and ‘walk ins’ – it must be primary care led and open 12 hours a day.”

Commenting after his meeting with Jon Rouse, James said:

“I am delighted that the guidance set to be approved by the GM Health & Social Care Partnership gives clear direction to NHS Bury’s CCG that a walk-in service can be retained and I was pleased to receive support for this in my meeting with Jon Rouse. I will be meeting further with NHS Bury in the weeks to come to ensure this directive is delivered and seek answers to the questions I put to them at their AGM last month.”

The GM guidance follows guidance released before the summer by NHS England which also supported the need to retain walk-in services in any redesign of urgent care services.