We spent the first day of our visit at Arrowe Park Walk-In Centre talking to patients and staff. We followed up our findings the following day by looking at documents and speaking to managers and directors at the head office of Wirral Community NHS Trust located at Old Market House in Birkenhead, Wirral.

We spoke with three patients and followed their care from their arrival at the reception desk to triage and then being treated and discharged. All the patients we spoke with were very happy with the care they had received and felt that they had been treated with dignity and respect. Comments included, “Very good service” “Would use the service again”. They told us that they had not waited long to be seen. Staff informed us that waiting times could vary and the service was particularly busy over the weekend. They told us the waiting room could become very busy at these periods as the GP Out of Hours and other services operated simultaneously.

We found there were procedures in place to safeguard patients and that staff were suitably supported and trained to carry out their role.

We found there were a variety of systems in place to gain people’s views of the care received at Arrowe Park Walk-In Centre and that there was an effective complaints system in place. We had received one concern and in response the trust had revised procedures relating to 'single use' medical devices and raising concerns.