The Kent Messenger has started a petition calling for Maidstone to get a walk-in clinic in a bid to ease pressure on our stretched health services.

The campaign comes at a time when west Kent’s A&E departments are facing unprecedented demand, yet about one fifth of people admit having used them in non-emergencies.

And while millions have been spent on educating people about when to head to the hospital and when to use other services, there are concerns that Accident and Emergency continues to mean “anything and everything”.

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Currently in Kent and Medway, they see more than 490,000 patients a year.

Meanwhile, GP surgeries are also at breaking point, with hundreds across the country closing their books to new patients.

In central Maidstone, two of the 39 practices, Dr Johnson S R and Partners, in Brewer Street, and The College Practice, Barming, have made that decision, with 25,000 people enrolled between them.

Instead, walk-in centres can be a bridge between the two services, offering convenient
access to a range of treatments around the clock every day of the year.

Often with GP practices, patients have to phone from 8am on the day and endure a frustrating redial race against others to stake claims on available appointments.

With a walk-in centre, those needing medical advice can do just that – walk in.

Sometimes they may have to wait up to two hours to be seen, but if they need treatment or further assessment, it will often be sorted that day.

As well as dealing with things ranging from bites, infections and rashes to fractures, cuts and burns, they also offer blood pressure checks, contraception, stop smoking support and advice about minor ailments like stomach aches, vomiting and diarrhoea.

But currently Kent has just three GP-led walk-in centres – none of which caters for Maidstone and its 162,000 population or Tonbridge and Malling’s 124,000 residents.

In contrast, the areas that offer such services have significantly fewer people – Gillingham has 99,000; Gravesham 105,000; and Sheppey 42,000.

There are also 11 minor injuries units – with patient numbers varying from about 100 a month to more than 1,000 – and a further nine locations including doctors’ surgeries providing minor injuries treatments.

Of those, the closest to Maidstone is in Sittingbourne, more than 10 miles away.

The NHS itself describes walk-in centres as a “successful complementary service to traditional GP and A&E services”.

But a spokesman for NHS West Kent CCG said there were currently no plans to commission any, adding: “We are, however, currently reviewing urgent care in our area.”

The group has itself stated that a growing number of A&E attendees are people who do not require care in a hospital setting, and that minor injuries being treated there was the major cause of blockages.

MP for Faversham and Mid-Kent, Helen Whately, has expressed her support for the campaign.

She said: “It’s a really tough time in A&E, so anything that can relieve the pressure should definitely be given serious consideration.

“Faversham, on the other side of my constituency, has a walk-in clinic so maybe that’s something to think about for Maidstone too.

“And now’s a really good time because the NHS is currently working out what future services should be available across Kent.”

Click here to sign the petition.

To share your experiences of GP's surgeries or A&E services in Maidstone, call 01622 695666 or email messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk