Walk in centre Sheffield: Councillor shocked by six hour waiting time at NHS walk-in clinic

Ruth Milsom – councillor for Crookes and Crosspool, and chair of the health scrutiny committee – went to Broad Lane Medical Centre for help on Tuesday (December 5) after losing her voice and suffering a worsening sore throat.

But she was left unsure where to turn after arriving at the walk-in centre to find a packed reception area and a laminated note saying the wait to see a doctor was six hours. NHS South Yorkshire has since told The Star December 5 was “one of the busiest days ever” for the clinic.

She says the incident has highlighted to her how the lack of urgent appointments available at GPs is leading to residents turning to the next available service and shows the stress on the NHS.

"The waiting area was rammed full,” said the councillor. “There was nowhere left to sit. I saw a lot of adults there with small children. With the worry about Strep A cases, this is a bad situation.

"What really upset and concerned me was the sight of so many - especially young children and their carers - waiting in what was quite a cramped area. I can't imagine waiting like that for up to 6 hours.

"I couldn’t find prescribing pharmacists in Sheffield on the internet. The receptionist said they don’t have a ‘digital ticket’ system so people can go away and come back.

"The massive issue here is lack of capacity for non-urgent appointments. And quite right that I should not expect an urgent appointment for a throat infection that is not making me terribly ill [but] I knew if I tried my GP I would probably be waiting days for an appointment, if not weeks.”

It comes as the latest NHS data released today (November 12) has revealed waiting lists have reached a record high. In November, A&E departments nationwide experienced their worst performance on record against the four-hour target. In emergency departments, one in three people must wait more than four hours to be seen, noted as the worst performance on record. And, at the end of October, 7.2m people were waiting to start routine treatments.

The NHS has carried several public campaigns asking patients to make sure they choose the right point of care – such as calling their GP, the 111 service and going to the pharmacist – as opposed to going to A&E.

The Broad Lane Medical Centre advises it can help with bad coughs, severe sore throats, rashes, suspected infections and suddenly worsening or long term conditions.

Dr Zak McMurray, GP and Medical Director for Sheffield at NHS South Yorkshire, said: “The NHS is busier than ever and all services are experiencing pressures but the NHS is still open and there for you. There are lots of health services available in Sheffield, you may not always need to go to A&E or to see a GP. There may be other services that can treat you more quickly and appropriately."

The NHS 111 service is recommended as a first point of call if anyone is not sure where to turn to for medical help, expect in a life-threatening emergency, when they should always ring 999.

Meanwhile, Councillor Milsom says she aims to use her channels as chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee to raise her concerns, building on asking the Integrated Care Board in November about the state of primary care in South Yorkshire.

She said: “It's important that the finger of blame is not directed at frontline medical staff or practice staff. They are all doing an incredible job in the most adverse circumstances.

"As the commissioning and accountable body in South Yorkshire, the responsibility for ensuring that every resident has appropriate access to healthcare rests with them.

"If they're not able to fulfil their responsibilities, they must challenge the Secretary of State to provide the resources needed.

"If they know that primary care is in chronic distress, they must not delay in making those demands of the Secretary of State.”

Which NHS service do I go to when I need help in Sheffield?

If you’re unsure what service to use, use https://111.nhs.uk/ or call 111, who can advise appropriately.

Pharmacists can help with a wide range of minor illness and ailments without booking an appointment. The NHS advises most pharmacies have a quiet area where you can speak in private, and many are open during the evenings and weekends. They can also help you decide if you need to see a doctor.

If you need to see a GP when your practice is closed, you can access the GP out-of-hours service. You can book appointments for these services through your usual GP practice or by contacting NHS 111 when your GP practice is closed.

Walk-in services treat minor illnesses and injuries that do not need a visit to A&E. The Broad Lane walk in centre is open from 8am until 10pm every day, including Christmas day, and sees people of all ages without an appointment.

The Minor Injuries Unit, at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital is open from 8am until 8pm every day, apart from Christmas Day, and provides treatment for adults with less serious injuries. Many people go to the A&E department at our Sheffield hospitals with minor injuries when they could usually be treated much more quickly at the Minor Injuries Unit.

It is also strongly advised to stay up to date on flu and Covid-19 vaccines, as this year it is expected the flu season will be worse than usual.

Keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home can help you deal with common winter illnesses.