PATIENTS at a health centre in Edmonton have hit out at plans for axe a popular weekday walk-in service.

NHS bosses have proposed cutting the service at Evergreen Primary Care Centre to save money and avoid duplicating the services already offered by GPs.

But patients fear access to GPs will not be up to scratch and they will be left with nowhere to go for healthcare if the walk-in services goes.

Adria Bennett, a 36-year-old mother from Edmonton, described the plan as “ridiculous”, and said: “There are too many people and the walk-in services is packed all the time.

“Normally, to get an appointment at the doctors takes days, and if your children are sick, you know you can come here and a doctor will see you.

“Edmonton has a large community, with big housing estates, and Edmonton Green has the highest levels of deprivation in the borough. To close this down would be absolutely ridiculous.”

Julien Lewis, 75, agreed, and said he regularly uses the walk-in service to avoid a long wait for an appointment at his GP.

He said: “This would be really bad news – a disaster really.

“I use it regularly because otherwise I would have to wait for two weeks to be seen. The walk-in service is the best way for people to be seen.”

North Central London NHS Sector has proposed the change to encourage more people to use the GPs they are registered with.

It has proposed a series of measures to make GP surgeries more accessible, including longer opening hours and better phone systems, to mitigate the loss of the walk-in service.

But many at Evergreen were unconvinced that the changes would work for the better.

Lakeesha Williams, 25, of Bounces Road, said: “They have been saying that things would change for years but it never has. If this closes I've no idea what we would do.”

Last week, the Enfield Independent reported how health chiefs had been forced to back-track and hold a consultation on the planned changes at Evergreen.

Enfield borough boss Nigel Beverley had previous argued to councillors that a full consultation was not need as it was not a “significant variation”.

But faced with the decision being referred to the secretary of state for health, he had agreed to a consultation, to details of which are still to be announced.

What do you think about the weekday walk-in service being axed at Evergreen? You can leave your comments below.