THE NHS walk-in service in Monkgate is to move to York Hospital under a major reorganisation of the way emergencies and less serious cases are handled.

From April 18, patients who would have gone to Monkgate with minor illnesses or injuries will go to the new urgent care centre situated in the emergency department in Wigginton Road.

Staff trained in dealing with less serious cases will also be relocated from Monkgate to the hospital, taking some of the pressure from accident and emergency staff.

Mike Williams, consultant in emergency medicine at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said a “significant amount of work” had gone in to redesigning the frontline service.

He said: “It should ensure that those attending the urgent care centre are treated by the professional with the skills best suited to their needs.

“It is important that patients carefully consider if their need is truly urgent; the majority of minor ailments and minor traumatic conditions can be treated by GPs and pharmacists. The urgent care centre staff will refer patients presenting with chronic and none urgent conditions to a more appropriate health care provider.”

Meanwhile, the hospital said the emergency department has been redesigned to better accommodate patients, with a single reception point where patients will be directed to the urgent care centre or the emergency department depending on their need.

However, Dr David Hayward, GP and member of the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group Board, also reminded York residents that 95 per cent of urgent care in the city was handled in the GPs’ surgeries.

He said: “We would encourage all patients with urgent care needs to contact their own GP practice in the first instance. Most practices have systems in place to prioritise these patients where appropriate and see them quickly and efficiently. It is important that patients are seen in the right place at the right time and GPs and the urgent care centre staff are working hard to make sure this happens.”