Hull: Delayed £2.7m urgent treatment centre to open

The new facility should reduce pressure on the emergency department

The first stage of a delayed £2.7m urgent treatment centre (UTC) will open next week, according to the NHS.

The walk-in centre at Hull Royal Infirmary was due to begin operating on 8 January but was delayed due to "unforeseen issues with building work".

It aims to ease pressures on the emergency department by reducing overcrowding and waiting times.

A walk-in centre at Wilberforce Health Centre in the city centre will also be relocated to the new site.

Dr James Crick, from NHS Humber and North Yorkshire integrated care board, said the move "was a significant step forward for urgent care services in Hull".

"It ensures that patients will get the care they need sooner and relieve pressure on the hospital's emergency department," he said.

"Integrating services like this leads to improved health outcomes for our population, allowing everyone to receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time."

The walk-in centre will be moved from the Wilberforce Health Centre

The new site is close to the main hospital entrance and will open between 08:00 and 20:00 seven days a week.

A spokesperson for City Health Care Partnership, which runs the centre, said it would become a fully fledged UTC later this year.

They added that GP services would remain at the Wilberforce Health Centre.