Changes proposed to urgent treatment at Newark Hospital

The Urgent Care Centre at Newark Hospital could become an Urgent Treatment Centre from early next year in changes that could the hospital become a centre of excellence.

Nottinghamshire County Council's Health Scrutiny Committee is due to discuss the proposal at a meeting on Tuesday.

The Urgent Care Centre would become an Urgent Treatment Centre early next year as part of a national plan by NHS England to roll out such centres across the country by December, 2019.

Patients and the public will still be able to access the centre 24 hours a day.

It will be staffed by a mix of GPs and other clinicians between 8am and midnight with a GP-led service available between midnight and 8am via NHS 111.

A report to the committee says: "The Vision and Strategic Direction seeks for Newark Hospital to be a centre of excellence for a broad range of diagnostics and provide an urgent care service, have rapid assessments and diagnosis through the Urgent Care Centre and have GPS working alongside clinicians during evenings, holidays and weekends."

Mr Francis Towndrow, chairman of Say Yes to Newark Hospital, said he had yet to learn the full details of the proposals.

"At this moment we really don't know what this means, but if it does mean an upgrade to the level of emergency care available at Newark Hospital 24/7 then that would be a step in the right direction," he said.

"It is a little worrying what might happen overnight but it is essential we have more specialist grade doctors at Newark Hospital and that they are overseen by consultants and that those that need resuscitation can be taken to Newark rather than transported 23 miles for treatment [to King's Mill Hospital]."