Newcastle NHS centre to be shut down permanently as chiefs plan new site next to RVI

Health bosses are planning to permanently close the Westgate Road Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) in the city’s West End.

The site has been shut on a temporary basis for two years  due to staffing shortages and NHS chiefs have confirmed that they have no intention of reopening it.

Instead, there are proposals to open a new urgent care service at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI).

In a report that will be presented to city councillors later this week, healthcare officials say that the prolonged closure of the Westgate Road UTC had resulted in “no significant increase” in the pressure on the RVI’s emergency department or the remaining walk-in centres in Byker and Cowgate.

It is hoped that such a facility would better help free up space in A&E by offering a simple alternative where patients with minor ailments could be quickly diverted to.

Addressing plans for the new development at the RVI, the report to Newcastle City Council’s health scrutiny committee states: “Each year, there is an increasing number of people attending the emergency department. We know that many of these patients do not have a life-threatening emergency, but they do need to be cared for urgently. We want to be able to treat these patients safely and conveniently, away from major emergencies. 

“The new site will allow us to expand the provision of urgent healthcare services, with patients able to see the right person, first time, and is proposed to open November 2025. Access to existing emergency services at the RVI will not be disrupted during the development and the RVI minor injuries unit will continue to operate as normal, although these services will transfer into the new centre once it is open.”

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The North East and North Cumbria integrated care board (ICB) said that the Urgent Treatment Centres at Ponteland Road in Cowgate and Molineux Street in Byker will “continue to operate seven days a week as normal”. 

A lack of available GPs and nurse practitioners to safely staff the Westgate Road site has been cited previously as the reason for its closure.

Figures published previously showed that the the number of GP shifts being covered at the UTC had dipped as low as 63% before its closure and that an average of just 21 patients per day were attending the facility.