CONCERNS have been raised over proposals to close the walk-in medical centre at Sainsbury’s supermarket in Springfield.

The Mid-Essex Clinical Commissioning Group is consulting over the proposal as part of its bid to transform immediate care.

The CCG intends to close the North Chelmsford Healthcare Centre in March 2015 and develop an urgent care centre at Broomfield Hopsital, with a pilot service starting in 2015.

Experts claim the walk-in centre is not reducing the number of people admitted to A&E.

The CCG said these ideas, which are the first of many expected to be put forward in the coming months, would not include closing the GP practice at the same Sainsbury’s site.

But Chris Vince, the prospective Labour MP for Chelmsford, has concerns.

He said: “I am very worried about the proposed closure.

“Having spoken to a number of residents I know how useful they find the facility.

Particularly as the long opening hours are extremely suitable for people who work full time and cannot easily get GP appointments outside normal work hours.”

Donald McGeachy, Medical Director for the Mid-Essex CCG, said: “We are still very much in the process of consultation on these ideas – talking to lots of people to gather views and listening to opinions. We have more public workshops in early October and hope people will come along and have their say.”

For more info on the consultation, visit: www.midessexccg.nhs.uk/publicconsultations/ immediate-care