MP Karen Lee calls for government to review closure of Lincoln Walk-In-Centre

Member of Parliament for Lincoln Karen Lee has appealed for a meeting with the Prime Minister to review the upcoming closure of the Lincoln Walk-In-Centre.

With PM Theresa May in China, David Lidington, Conservative MP for Aylesbury and Minster for the Cabinet Office heard her request at PMQs on Wednesday, January 31.

He responded by promising an audience with a minister over the matter.

Karen Lee said: “Lincoln’s Walk-In-Centre will close in a few weeks despite the fact that there is inconsistent and insufficient service provision in place to mitigate the closure.”

She requested that Lidington passed on a request to the Prime Minister to met with her to review the closure.

He said: “I’ll ensure a minister does see her about this.”

The Lincoln Walk-In-Centre on Monks Road will be open during weekends only throughout February and will close for good by the end of the month.

Lincolnshire West CCG, the health group responsible for the service, finalised the decision last week despite 94% of those surveyed rejecting the proposal.

Karen Lee previously said: “As a healthcare professional, I understand that the delivery of health care changes and evolves with the passing of time. However, I am not supportive of the closure of the walk-in centre because it is my belief that it’s closure is a downgrading of the health provision my constituents will be able to access.

“Further to that, I am uncomfortable that the consultation process undertaken does not appear to have been a meaningful one, given that 94% of respondents expressed the wish for the walk-in centre to remain open and the voice of local people has been ignored.

“I am not confident that the assurances I have been given regarding an increase in GP appointments is sufficient either in number or frequency to replace the service currently provided by the walk-in centre.”

No local organisations or elected bodies outside of the NHS supported the move during the consultation process.

Lincolnshire West CCG however promised that the closure would reduce the duplication of services and even enhance provisions for patients.