Date for urgent care findings
The findings of a controversial consultation on the future of urgent care in Sunderland will now be revealed later this month – three weeks later than planned.
Services risk being slashed in Bunny Hill, Washington and Houghton under the changes proposed by Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
A draft report on the proposals is expected to be published on Monday, October 22.
The 2,507 people who responded to the survey had expected to see a draft report on Monday, October 1.
But this was postponed by the CCG, which claimed ASV Research Ltd, an independent company contracted to carry out the consultation needed more time to analyse the findings.
A planned public meeting to reveal the draft report has also been rescheduled and will be held on Monday, October 22, 6-8pm at Bede Tower, in Burdon Road, Sunderland.
A second event will also be held on Tuesday, October 23, at Houghton Welfare Hall, in Brinkburn Cresent, Houghton.
The CCG unveiled its plans for a new system of urgent care in Sunderland in May.
Currently, patients can be treated for non life-threatening injuries at primary care centres in Houghton, Washington and Bunny Hill.
The proposals would see would see urgent care services available only at Pallion Health Centre and some GP practices offering urgent and planned appointments on evenings and weekends.
Ann Fox, the CCG’s director of Nursing, Quality and Safety, said: “We would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views on the proposals for urgent care services in Sunderland.
“Your feedback will help decide how urgent care services can best meet the needs of local people in Sunderland. The CCG is now engaged in a period of intelligent consideration of the feedback received and it will be extremely influential in how we shape future urgent care services.”