Reduced opening hours at walk-in clinic due to staffing issues
STAFFING pressures have resulted in reduced opening times for the new walk-in clinic in Lerwick this weekend.
The clinic, located at Grantfield and opened earlier this year as part of a 12-month Scottish Government pilot, will not be open in the afternoons today (Saturday) or Sunday.
Last month staffing was highlighted a key risk of the project at a meeting of Shetland’s integration joint board (IJB), with members also hearing that it was being manned by GPs and ANPs (advanced nurse practitioners).
Left to right: Associate medical director for primary care Dr Deepa Shah, Antony McDavitt, director of pharmacy and interim depute chief officer for the Shetland Health and Social Care Partnership, and NHS Shetland chief executive Brian Chittick at the walk-in clinic at Grantfield. Photo: NHS Shetland
Tony McDavitt, NHS Shetland’s director of pharmacy and interim depute chief officer, said short-term staffing pressures are affecting services across the health board.
“As a result, the walk-in clinic will operate during the mornings only this weekend,” he said.
“Staff availability was recognised from the outset as a challenge for the walk-in clinic pilot.
“The team is continuing to work to improve staffing generally for services and reduce the likelihood of further changes across services.
“The walk-in clinic remains a pilot. We will continue to review staffing, demand, patient and staff feedback, and the clinic’s effectiveness within wider primary care services.
“Any changes to opening hours will be communicated as early as possible.
“We would like to thank the public and staff for their engagement with the clinic so far, and for their understanding when changes are required.”
The clinic will be open between 9am and 1pm this weekend, with the last drop-in slot being midday.
The walk-in service was also closed last Saturday (13 June) due to staffing issues.
IJB members were told that staff were not being shifted from other services, with people instead working additional hours, for example.
When the service expands it is expected that NHS Shetland would use locums or access staff through the Rediscover the Joy of General Practice programme, which offers GPs flexible work.
The walk-in clinic opened in early May, initially at the weekends, with anyone in Shetland able to attend for a variety of minor illnesses.
The IJB meeting heard that around 45 people have attended the clinic in the first few weekends, with a hope that the service could expand from July.
The Lerwick clinic is one of many across Scotland being piloted by the Scottish Government, with nearly £1 million in funding coming NHS Shetland’s way for the trial.
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