A SOUTHAMPTON MP has called for the NHS to re-think plans to shut a city walk-in centre.

John Denham, who represents Southampton Itchen, said he was concerned a plan to close Bitterne Walk-In Centre will force patients to go to hospital unnecessarily or give up finding treatment altogether.

As previously reported, Southampton Clinical Commissioning Group and Solent NHS Foundation Trust are planning to shut the centre for six months from December to pilot a new scheme where its 12 nurses would be used to support local GPs in practices and the community.

But Mr Denham, pictured below, said: “The fact that it’s even being proposed is a symbol of the mismanagement of the health service in the last few years.

“The responsibility for this lies fairly and squarely with the Government.

“As far as these proposals are concerned I don’t think it’s acceptable to close the walk-in centre without making sure that GP practices and other primary care centres are geared up to offer much better access than they are able to provide at the moment.”

Health chiefs say the walk-in centre, based at Bitterne Health Centre in Commercial Street, Southampton, is under-used and mostly treats coughs and colds.

They also say the move will reduce pressure on GPs and provide an alternative to the emergency department at Southampton General.