Simon Hughes opens Guy’s Hospital urgent care centre

The urgent care centre, which operates under the auspices of the NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group, received its first patients in July but managers chose to wait until after the Olympics and Paralympics to publicise the new service.

The new service is provided by Bermondsey and Lansdowne Medical Mission which also runs GP surgeries at Decima Street and the Artesian Building.

The UCC at Guy's Hospital provides an alternative to the accident and emergency department at St Thomas' Hospital for a range of minor, but urgent, injuries and medical problems.

It replaces the former minor injuries unit which was established at Guy's after A&E services for north Southwark and north Lambeth were consolidated at St Thomas' in 1999.

Simon Hughes, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, said: "I have taken a long and active interest in healthcare in Southwark and it is really positive today to be opening this new urgent care centre on the Guy's site.

"The partnership with Bermondsey and Lansdowne Medical Mission is particularly important as the services are provided by local GPs who understand the local area and the health needs of local people.

"I would also like to thank NHS Southwark for taking forward this much-needed project with the support of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Amr Zeineldine, chair of NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "I am delighted that the urgent care centre has opened and that we are able to provide health services for urgent minor injuries every day of the year from 8am until 8pm.

"This is the first phase of our urgent care strategy in Southwark."

Sir Hugh Taylor, chairman of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We warmly welcome the official opening of the new urgent care centre, and encourage local residents to make use of it.

"It will provide the best possible care to local people who need treatment for minor injuries or problems that are urgent but not so serious that they warrant a visit to the accident and emergency department."