A PUBLIC consultation into a massive overhaul of urgent care services in Worcestershire – which includes the controversial closure of Worcester’s walk-in health centre – closes tomorrow.

Responses to the Worcestershire Urgent Care Strategy must be received by Wednesday, April 9.

Although the consultation had initially been due to close on Wednesday, March 19, members of the Worcestershire Health and Well-Being Board agreed to extend the deadline by three weeks after concerns were raised that residents across the county had not been given enough time to properly scrutinise the plans.

The plans have been jointly produced by a collaboration of NHS organisations across Worcestershire with a view to improving urgent care provision in the county.

Included in the strategy are plans to improve A&E services through developing Urgent Care Centres where hospital doctors and GPs will work side-by-side and improving Minor Injury Units in the county.

The strategy also proposes discontinuing the walk-in element of the Worcester Walk-in Health Centre when the current contract expires in August as NHS leaders believe this service will no longer be required with the other improvements in place.

Although the GP service at the Farrier Street centre – which has 4,400 registered patients – would continue, members of Worcester City Council voted earlier this month to call for a rethink of the plans following concerns there had been "no detailed rationale" for the move.

To view the plans and have your say visit southworcsccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/urgent-care.

Feedback can be emailed to ccgcomms@worcestershire.nhs.uk or sent via Twitter using the hashtag #urgentcareworcs.