Page 7 - link magazine

NHS success serving the people

It's just a year since a brand new health service was launched in the town, and Swindon residents have quickly taken it to their hearts.
Since 1 April 2000 the Swindon NHS Walk-In Centre at the Carfax Street Health Centre has become the third busiest in Britain.

Launched by the Government with 31 other minor injuries and illness. We also offer a blood commissioned by the Swindon Primary Care
schemes across the country, the Walk-In Centre taking and dressing service for those patients Group to provide 24 hours ambulatory blood
offers health care advice, in- pressure monitoring service for the lo-
formation and treatment at cal doctors.
times which are convenient to Walk-In Centre staff work closely
users. It's open fifteen hours a with Druglink to operate a needle ex-
day, seven days a week at change scheme. In conjunction with the
Carfax Street Health Centre in Swindon Health Promotion Unit an
the town centre. evening stop smoking session is avail-
You do not need an appoint- able.
ment, nor do you need to be To cope with demand, the centre was
referred by a GP. allocated extra money in the Autumn
Although 2,050 people so that another room could be brought
made use of the service in into use. During the year, of the 18,000
January, the peak number so Julia Drown MP congratulating Walk-In Centre manager Bob Sanderson patients who have visited the Walk-In
far, many in the town have yet and senior nurse Tony Lewis on a successful first year Centre, less than a quarter have been
to discover it, says Walk-In referred on to A&E, a GP or the after-
Centre manager Bob Sanderson. "Although the who find difficulty in accessing their own sur- hours doctor's service.
Swindon centre is now one of the most success- gery. We have been working with the child health Julia Drown, MP for South Swindon, said she
ful in the country, we still have a lot to do to department by providing a meningitis C vacci- was very impressed by how quickly the new
promote ourselves. Many people are surprised nation service for those children who have service has had been taken up by some towns-
by what we offer when they find us." missed the school programme. people. "People have been telling me that they
The Walk-In Centre is staffed by seven highly "We also issue emergency contraception and are pleased by the way they are treated at the
experienced nurses, with Bob Sanderson as the are now able to issue certain antibiotics under Walk-In Centre; I'm absolutely delighted to hear
manager. He gives several reasons for the up- Patient Group Directions. Sometimes A&E staff from Bob and Tony that it is meeting the needs
take of the service. "We've built close working suggest patients come to us at busy times, to deal of Swindon residents.
relationships with the Accident and Emergency with cuts, twisted ankles or minor infections." "It's excellent that the Labour Government
Unit at PMH and also general practitioners across "Our surveys of user satisfaction have high- recognised the work load of the centre and was
the town. As a result the range of treatments we lighted the professionalism and attitude of the able to allocate more funds to allow it to expand.
can offer is quite wide. staff; the convenient time and the choice it gives "The success of this Government's initiative
"The staff are able to deal with various prob- patients is also appreciated. proves there is a need to provide easy access to
lems including the assessment and treatment of He added that the Walk-In Centre has also been health care at times the patient needs it."

NHS
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Swindon NHS Walk-in Centre
Swindon Health Centre,
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Health Carfax Street, Swindon, Wiltshire
Centre
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Healthcare advice,
At Swindon Walk-in centre you can expect:
information and
• Seven days a week service
treatment -
• No appointment necessary

• Consultations with an experienced nurse no appointment necessary
• Advice on how to stay healthy

• Information on local pharmacy services
• Treatment for minor injuries and illnesses
e.g. strains and sprains, coughs, colds
and flu-like symptoms
• Meningitis vaccinations

• Recording blood pressure