Patients to benefit from new clinical units

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State of the art mobile clinical units, designed to give residents faster access to a range of minor treatments, will be unveiled on Union Street next Monday (19 January).

The purpose built units are part of a £172 million pound investment over a seven year period that aims to bring down waiting times for NHS treatment and tackle some of Rochdale's health inequalities.

Trevor Purt, Chief Executive of NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale said: “A great deal has been done by the NHS in recent years to cut waiting lists and waiting times for treatment. But we want to do more. We want to make sure that anyone needing NHS treatment can get the best care possible as quickly as possible.

“This is particularly important for the local community in Rochdale, many of whom experience the poorest levels of health.”

The new units are part of the Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service and are the first of their kind in the UK. They will be run on behalf of the NHS by CARE UK and offer longer opening hours and weekend appointments. Patients will be seen by a Consultant and will be able to have most of the diagnostic tests they need, as well as some minor treatments; for example treatment for orthopaedic and rheumatology complaints, general surgery, treatment for ear, nose and throat problems.

Mark Hunt, managing director, Primary Care Division at CARE UK, explained: “We wanted to give Rochdale residents a preview of this exciting new service that will soon be available to them. The Mobile Clinical Units will provide an additional resource to the local NHS, which will provide quick and convenient access for patients to treatment and increase local capacity across the Greater Manchester healthcare system. The ultimate aim is to enhance the patient experience.

“We are expecting a very positive response from patients as this new service is all about how best we can benefit them. The whole idea is to create a healthcare environment which gives the best possible experience to patients, with greater convenience and a short waiting time.”

Patients can make an appointment to be seen in one of the Mobile Clinical Units, either by being referred by their GP or via the NHS Choice website. Patients can be referred into the service through their GPs from mid January, with the Mobile Clinical Units will be operating from 3 February.