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U-turn over night clinic
Dec 19 2006 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail
HEALTH bosses have made a U-turn in their decision to force patients from south Birmingham to travel to the city centre for treatment at night.
South Birmingham Primary Care Trust's overhaul of its out-of-hours services, when GP surgeries have closed, came under fire when it emerged there would be no local clinics between 11pm and 7am.
PCT bosses have now agreed to keep an extra all night clinic open in Selly Oak along with the city centre.
Under a new contract with Badger Medical, late night clinics in the south of the city were set to close in the early hours, when they normally only have one or two patients through the door.
But these patients would have been forced to travel to Birmingham Children's Hospital, in Steelhouse Lane, to get treatment.
After the move was revealed in the Birmingham Mail in October, the city council's health scrutiny committee stepped in to quiz health bosses over the changes.
Edgbaston Tory councillor Deirdre Alden, chairwoman of the health committee, said a PCT officer had now reported back that an extra all night clinic will also be made available in Selly Oak.
"The PCT said it will offer patients a choice of Selly Oak or the city centre, which is a victory for patients and the committee," said Coun Alden.
Badger has pledged to open five more clinics across south Birmingham during peak periods from 6pm until 11pm under the new contract.
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