Boots to open city centre GP surgery

Amanda Crook

August 28, 2009

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A NEW GP surgery and walk-in centre is to open in the city centre.

The practice will be based at Boots on Cross Street and will open 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm, from December.

It will be only the third surgery in central Manchester, despite the area now being home to 20,000 people.

Around 12,000 of those are registered with the two practices currently open, but thousands more are being turned away because their books are full.

NHS Manchester has been granted planning permission by the city council for the new centre.

Work will start inside the store next month.

Health chiefs are holding a competition to name the clinic, and the winner will receive £250 in Boots vouchers.

Laura Roberts, chief executive of NHS Manchester, said: "This is an exciting competition, with an excellent prize. I'm sure that the judging panel will receive lots of great names for the new health centre.

Health

"The health centre needs an original name.

"It could be to do with its location, its opening times, or perhaps in honour of a famous Mancunian.

"The new service will help to manage demand for health services from the increasing number of people who live in the city centre, as well as those who work in and visit the city.

"We need to make more GP appointments available in the city centre area and the new service will enable us to do that. The choice of location should make it easy for people in the city centre to access and we're pleased to be leading such an innovative partnership."

The clinic, which will be run for NHS patients by not-for-profit organisation GTD Primary Care Ltd, will eventually be able to cater for 8,500 registered patients.

City centre dwellers have been campaigning for two years for a new practice to serve the expanding population.

The closing date for competition entries is October 3. Entries should be sent to: Health Centre Competition, NHS Manchester, FREEPOST RRSS-EKKJ-RRKY, Baguley Clinic, Hall Lane, Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 1NA

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Audenshaw Bob (28/08/2009 at 10:27)

How about 'City Centre Doctors Surgery'

I look forward to spending the £250 in boots. '500 condoms please'.

salfordrat (28/08/2009 at 10:56)

Why does an area so small that you can walk from one side to the other in ten minutes require three doctors surgeries? Further to that when you can actually walk (not that these dual car owning yuppies bother to walk other than on some expensive treadmill in front of a plasma screen) to a health centre in salford in twenty minutes. Oh, wait, I got it. Is it because 'city dwellers' tend to be loaded?

flo, Manchester (28/08/2009 at 11:17)

I've got a cracker! Not telling you what it is though!

salfordrat (28/08/2009 at 11:32)

I've got a cracker! Not telling you what it is though!
flo, Manchester

Erm.....right then. Next!!!

MPs gravy train, UK (28/08/2009 at 11:57)

Got a chip on your shoulder Salfordrat. It is fascinating to read comments from people that live in so called "poor" areas that get everything they need including modern health centres. Yet people in the city centre are expected to do without.

Your prejudice is without foundation. More than half the city centre residents do not have cars. A third do not have access to a doctor. One of the 2 surgeries in the city centre only opens 2 hours in the morning, and 2 in the afternoon and is closed on Thursday afternoon. It doesn't open in the evening or on Saturday mornings. Yet in Salford, the hard done by residents do get access. And if you believe that all of the city centre dwellers are loaded you are deluded. Whilst they pay twice as much council tax as the average person in Salford, the majority are not loaded.

City Centre Man (28/08/2009 at 12:48)

salfordrat, sorry to spoil your inverted snobbery of a city centre resident but I work 70 hours per week, pay 40% tax so people can live on benefits, ran three marathons already this year (not been to a gym for years). As for the doctors there is one, plus another tahat opens for 4 hours a day and this serves 30,000 city centre residents. Some of those residents are housing association in piccadilly tower, back of Northern Quarter, Castlefield etc. Certainly not 'yuppies'. As for a dentist well the only choice is private, so like many, I don't go.

As for being loaded I bought my property six years ago and even before the recession it nosedived to 65% of it's value. Most people in the city centre are in negative equity and many flats are empty after being reposessed. We get fleeced at every opportunity i.e. £120 per month just to park a car (which I need to drive all over country with work).

It is estimated that 63% of city centre residents want to move out but can't due to being in negative equity.

I would be better on the dole in Salford.

citycentre, manchester (28/08/2009 at 16:19)

salfordrat

I don't know about loaded, but the city centre ward raises the most council tax of any Manchester ward and has the fastest growing population; as it it also comapct, its costs for services like refuse collection are lower than elsewhere in the city. So maybe a few more services are in order, unless the rest of Manchester likes the subsidy it gains from us.

nanny ogg (28/08/2009 at 17:01)

why ? when anyone mentions salforddoes benefit scroungers always come next, salford is a big place, some rich places and some that are poor, same as manchester.
i live in salford, most people around me and my family work, pay taxes dont claim anything, have a doctor which is a bus ride away which i never go to. but just another thing council tax in salford is higher than manchester

Andanotherthing, Mcr (28/08/2009 at 17:08)

I don't know about loaded, but the city centre ward raises the most council tax of any Manchester ward and has the fastest growing population; as it it also comapct, its costs for services like refuse collection are lower than elsewhere in the city. So maybe a few more services are in order, unless the rest of Manchester likes the subsidy it gains from us.
citycentre, manchester

Thanks for the subsidy Citycentre. If you could only sare alittle more "Please Sir" Then my street may have been swept once in the last 21 days. I do pay for it but your need is greater.

salfordrat (28/08/2009 at 17:36)

The fact is all you 'city dwellers', you bought places in the city centre when you were riding high, now you are in negative equity in the Beethan Tower and you expect those of us in salford precinct towers to care? Get a grip.

The fact is that due to the unbridled expansion of trendy little apartments in city centre Manchester, places like Blackfriars in Salford, and areas like Ancoats and Hulme have been 'regenerated' so that those who didn't make it onto the city centre band wagon can live within walking distance of clubs and 'eateries'. This means folks, that an area like blackfriars is now becoming so expensive that native Salfordians cannot even afford to live in their own back yards.

And FYI - I recently applied to salford council for a home. They chap at the so called Property Shop told me (at that time) that they have 13 properties going and 12.5 thousand people on the list. And yet, in a city where there are so many desperate for homes but have none, there are hundreds of empty 'apartments' just waiting for those who earn 30k a year and above to move in.
So MP's graveytrain, if I have a prejudice it is far from without foundation.

It is perhaps because the yuppification (or should that be gentrification) of city centre manchester has made it so I cannot afford to live in the city that five generations of my family have called home, where my father broke his back working on the docks and later spent 35 years driving buses. If you don't like it move out and we will happily move in. Then again, I dont think the benefits agency pay the kind of rents that you poor underpriviliged people are shelling out.

Here is an idea, stop moaning and get on a bus to the nearest health centre. I guarantee there will be more than one within a few minutes of the city centre.

Andanotherthing, Mcr (28/08/2009 at 17:57)

Those Rats from Salford..................Join the big City

Andanotherthing, Mcr (28/08/2009 at 18:12)

Nanny Ogg..Its just a dreamin thing..That toe needs sorting, due east...

MPs gravy train, UK (28/08/2009 at 23:53)

Its not prejudice per se Salfordrat, its a chip the size of a battleship you have on your shoulder. I don't rent, I have paid for my home by working 12 hours a day for 20 years. I don't expect hand outs or a house given to me. But I do expect basic services to be provided in this city. And a Doctors open more than 4 hours a day is one.

Its funny how only 400 people chose to live in the City Centre before it was regenerated. Now it has been, the Salfordians claim they can't get in because they can't afford it. Don't make me laugh. The reality is that you want it now the work has been done and we've all invested our money to improve it. You didn't want it before.

citycentre, manchester (29/08/2009 at 08:43)

salfordrat

according to wikipedia Salford covers over 37 sq miles and has a population of over 200,000, so if prices have risen in one street or even district on the back of your more succesful neighbours, maybe you should look elsehwere.

The Hulme regerneration took place well before most of the city centre flats were built, but never mind.

"If you don't like it move out and we will happily move in", feel free, I am sure you would be welcome, but why not do what I did, and instead of "applying" to someone to be given a home, earn some money, save up and buy something, I understand prices are quite favourable at the moment?

"I dont think the benefits agency pay the kind of rents that you poor underpriviliged people are shelling out"

wouldn't know as I have always taken pride in looking after myself, rather than relying on handouts

Maynard Kitchener Lampwick. Manchester., (30/08/2009 at 17:21)

Go to see the Dr at Boots get the Prescription somewhere else, reason, they never have the medcine in, they take your prescription and tell you when they have it half done, and you have to make the trip to town again to get the rest...

BoftheBang, Manchester (31/08/2009 at 11:00)

Salfordrat- unless you live within a practice's boundary,they will not take you on. Plenty of city centre residents are willing to walk/take bus to another practice but they will not be accepted because their lists are full too.Its a pity that the existing city practices do not take on extra GPs ( they have the rooms)- 1 GP can bring in 1500-2000 patients.Instead, to save money and take home the profit, they employ practice nurses.They could also open for alot longer- 2 hour surgeries are not enough. In other cities,GPs go on for up to 4 hours and they do telephone triage & prescriptions too.If they feel too stressed ,how about job sharing a room? I suggest residents petition the excisting practices- they should have GP:Patient committee.If not the Local Medical Committee or PCT may be able to help.

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