POOR communication and a lack of information have been blamed for many members of the public not being aware of the closure of Hereford's walk-in centre.

Herefordshire Healthwatch, an independent consumer champion, has criticised the county's Clinical Commissioning Group for not doing enough to let people know that the GP access centre next to Asda was going to close its doors last Friday night.

The chairman of Healthwatch, Ian Stead, said they interviewed 91 people at the walk-in centre last week and the majority of them did not know the centre was closing.

Mr Stead said: "Healthwatch is extremely disappointed that the communication and information about the walk-in centre closure has been very poor.

"We are also concerned that local GP practices and A&E at Hereford hospital will struggle to provide alternative support for the walk-in centre users."

Out of the 91 people questioned, 41 said they had used the centre because they cannot get an appointment with their own GP. Just one person was not registered with a GP.

Mr Stead added: "We have particular concerns that a number of the users of the centre we spoke to are vulnerable people who may find it difficult to get the access to services that they need.

"We call on the CCG to urgently communicate to the public what they should do now that the walk-in centre has closed and they must also give the support needed to local GP practices and A&E at the hospital."

Out of the 91 questioned, 33 said they would go to A&E instead when the walk-in centre closed while 32 said they would wait longer for an appointment with their own GP.

Almost half do not use the phone service, NHS 111, and many had not heard of it, while over half of people surveyed hadn’t heard of Taurus extended hours appointments or how to access them.

Mr Stead said that the Herefordshire CCG had promised to make the public aware of the changes but that leaflets and information on the closure did not arrive at the centre until the day it was closing.

He said: "It is about the poor or lack of communication or information when they have had months and months to prepare for it."

Mr Stead said a significant number of patients were Eastern European and said they found the service responsive, convenient and referenced the Polish-speaking front desk team.

The centre will be the new home for the Ross Road branch of Moorfield House Surgery, as well as the extended evening and weekend primary care service hub, operated by Taurus Healthcare (currently operating at Wargrave House Surgery on St Owen Street in Hereford).

Members of the public are encouraged to call their GP surgery in the first instance, ring NHS 111 for healthcare advice or visit their local pharmacy.

A spokesman for the CCG said: