A NEW urgent care centre is already treating 140 patients a day in Widnes.
It is part of a £6 million investment which has seen an urgent care centre open at Halton Hospital in Runcorn earlier this year.
Widnes walk in centre at the Healthcare Resources Centre in Caldwell Road has been transformed into a state-of-the-art medical facility.
It is open seven days a week from 7am to 10pm and no appointments are needed.
Staff can treat any illness or injury that needs urgent attention.
X-ray equipment and ultrasound have been installed and extra staff trained and recruited.
Deep vein thrombosis screening is also available.
A doctor is on site from 8am to 10pm.
Specially trained paediatric nurses are on hand to treat children and support services are available for the elderly and vulnerable.
It means patients no longer have to travel to accident and emergency units unless they have a life threatening condition.
Clinical nurse manager Susan Doyle said: “Our aim is to see patients, treat them and send them home rather than have them facing long waits in hospital
“Around 95 per cent of people are in and out and sorted within two hours, the majority within one hour.”
The World was given a guided tour of the new centre on Wednesday.
It has been open since July and becomes fully operational on November 2.
It is bright and modern with 10 consultation rooms.
Mrs Doyle said: “Appointments are not restricted to 10-15 minutes.
“We look at everything holistically and give people a thorough examination.”
Parents are welcome to bring in their children if they are worried about any conditions, such as a rash.
She said: “I’d rather have a mum coming in to check rather than worry at home.
“Years ago parents had nans to go to for advice. Now they often live miles from their families.”
Equipment to check oxygen levels is also available for people with respiratory conditions.
The centre works closely with the rapid access respiratory team and can also organise emergency residential care for elderly people who live on their own and need temporary support.
The centre is managed and run by Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here