Putnoe Walk-In Centre will remain open until March 2024

Putnoe Walk-In Centre will remain open until March 31, 2024 after Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB) extended its contract.

The current opening hours for the walk-in centre – at Putnoe Medical Centre in Queen’s Drive – will remain the same.

Centre staff and the ICB will work with other primary care health providers to co-design the future model of same-day urgent primary care in the period leading up to March 2024.

Nicky Poulain, chief primary care officer for the ICB, said: “We are pleased to announce the extension for the contract for Putnoe Walk-In Centre and the commitment to actively co-design with local communities what the future integrated urgent same-day access provision looks like for local residents.

“Putnoe Medical Centre will continue to provide excellent care for patients that choose to use the Walk-In Centre.”

Sam Paul, practice manager for Putnoe Walk-in Centre, said: “We are pleased the extension to our contract means we have continuity for the next 16 months for the Walk-In Centre – after a very challenging period through the Covid pandemic when we remained open every day.

“We are delighted we can continue to provide this valuable same-day walk-in access to the patients who value this service so much. It also provides stability for us, our hard-working staff, and our patients (both registered and non-registered).

“We look forward to working with the ICB, our patients and other stakeholders to develop the local plans for urgent care in the future.”