A DOCTOR has left an influential advisory group on Herefordshire Primary Care Trust in protest over plans for a walk-in GP centre in Hereford.

Dr Andrew Black, from Mortimer Medical Practice, accused the trust of going back on a decision that such a service was not needed, not affordable and not good value for money.

“Six months later we find this is what is about to be imposed on Hereford,’’ he said.

Dr Black, a member of the PCT’s professional and commissioning committee, claimed the new clinic would destabilise GP surgeries as patients switched.

Its cost could impact on existing services and delay new ones.

He said the elderly and those with long-term medical problems would suffer most as their needs were unlikely to be met by the new service.

The PCT said it recognised the excellence of county GP services but said that one in five local people were dissatisfied over the lack of service in the evening or at weekends.

The new centre would be open seven days a week, including Christmas Day.

It anticipated most patients would opt to remain registered with their GP and use the new centre on a walk-in basis over weekends.

The new centre, funded by by the Department of Health, will enable people to register and have the same services as those registered with a GP, such as vaccination, immunisation, contraception and cervical smears.

It would attract additional funding as a priority service and focus on treating those who currently went to A&E instead of a GP, reducing pressure on hospital clinicians.

Herefordshire PCT has invited tenders from organisations interested in setting up the new service.

A decision will be made in November and the new centre should be open in January.

Eight groups have shown interest.