Norwich Rouen Road walk-in health centre under threat of closure

A consultation is being carried out on the viability of the Norwich walk-in centre on Rouen Road

A loss-making city walk-in health centre may close next year, according to a health board.

NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) has launched a consultation to find out if services at Rouen Road in Norwich should shut from 2024.

Patient watchdog, Healthwatch Norfolk, said the service "represented high value for money" and wanted to know if it would continue to be loss-making if it was paid for all patients seen.

ICB said it was looking at all options.

Current GP contracts for the walk-in centre, a GP practice on Rouen Road as well as a service for vulnerable adults, all serving the greater Norwich area, come to an end in spring 2024.

Sadie Parker, director of primary care for the ICB, said it wanted to hear from users and providers of the three services.

"Our priority for this consultation is to gain feedback that will help us shape effective general practice services that meet local people's needs now and for the future," she said.

The Rouen Road walk-in centre provides some 5,666 appointments a month, NHS Norfolk and Waveney said.

The ICB's consultation document said centre use was highest during normal business hours, with peak usage between 07:00 and 09:00, and between 12:00 and 13:00.

The busiest day was Monday with the lowest usage from 19:00 and 21:00.

"The walk-in centre fulfils an essential role in easing pressure on other NHS services," Healthwatch Norfolk said

The majority of patients sought treatment for same-day GP services rather than minor injury treatment, the NHS health commissioner said.

This included refugees and asylum seekers for whom English was not their first language, those who were not registered with the local health and care system and those who otherwise struggled to make or attend pre-booked appointments.

The largest proportion of patients - 66% - using the walk-in centre were registered with one of 22 Norwich GP practices, the trust said, with only 7% registered with the Rouen Road practice.

A Healthwatch Norfolk report into the centre said it "offers excellent value for money but is operating at a loss".

"The walk-in centre fulfils an essential role in easing pressure on other NHS services, such as A&E and local GP practices, at a critical time for public health provision."

It found that under the current system, the walk-in centre did not get paid for any patients over the 17,000 they were commissioned to see per quarter.

Neither were they paid for any patients who were registered at the GP practice located in the same building.

Last quarter this equated to a loss of £47,384.48 (to treat 2,071 additional patients) plus an additional £32,809.92 not paid for health centre patients.

Healthwatch Norfolk made a range of recommendations to support services going forward.