I hope i am commenting in the right column as I am new to the net work. I am a Nurse Practitioner currently working in that capacity in a Walk-in-Centre. Since we opened our doors to the public, we have seen some changes which need to be discussed. There is a growing number of patients who are presenting with serious illnesses than predetermined by the original policy that Walk-in-Centres could only see Minor illness and injury.An example is that patients presenting with chest pain has gone up. Due to the nature of our service of 'walk-in' patients assume that we can treat them but in effect they are delaying treatment.Another change is the increase in the number of patients who are unable to get a GP appointment or are encouraged to attend the Walk-in-centre by GP surgeries.
These are just a few examples, but there are more changes in the dynamics of Walk-in-centres that need an evaluatiion since we are about to celebrate 10 years. I feel as if our centre is operating like a mini A&E dept. Does anyone share my views?

Hi: like you I am new to the forum and work in a walk in centre in St Helens Merseyside ; which we see approx 200 pts per day on average. Llike yourself we see pts with potential life threatening presentations chest pain being one of them. While the response rate for ambulance transfer to A&E is good, the question you pose is a valid one. I feel, that however much you educate people i.e go to A&E/999 if you have chest pain! there will always be a proportion of people who attend a WIC as they see it either as an A&E or "dont want to bother A&E" or just prefer the care we give!!
We too have people always turning up stating they cannot get appointments at their GP's -interestingly more often than not when you telphone the GP surgery they seem to be able to provide the pt with an appointment ( often then on informing the pt this bit of info they admit that the time offered was not convenient to them!)
I do wonder that we as nurses working in WIC's are often victims of our own success and a patient would rather come to the WIC and know they will get seen (and no direspect to many excellent GP's out there) but pts as we all know too well prefer the consulation process that nurses have adopted in the advanced sphere they work in-something to be proud of, I think which should be embraced

Thanks Tony. Can we have feedback from other WiCs about this issue. The last evaluation was done 2002 (national Evaluation) Is it time we perhaps have another evaluation as I am sure there are some significant changes that might change future policy on walk-in-centres.WhatI would like is representatives from WIC nationally to move this debate forward

Hi Philip
I agree that an evaluation is timely, and lets here from other WIC's on this viewpoint