BURY Labour party presented a petition to the Department of Health with more than 7,000 signatures on it protesting against the closure of walk-in centres in Prestwich and Bury.

The petition called for the fair funding for Bury Clincical Commisioning Group, which, campaigners say, receives approximately £11.2 million less than it should by reference to the national funding formula for CCGs.

The petition, handed into the DoH’s headquarters in London, asked for Bury CCG to be given this funding to help pay for walk-in centres.

Bury Council leader Cllr Rishi Shori and Bury South MP Ivan Lewis handed in the petition.

Cllr Shori said: “The people of the borough have been fantastic in the way that they have supported the campaign we began at the start

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“We really hope that the Department of Health and Bury CCG change their minds over the proposed closures. These services are vital to our residents.”

Ivan Lewis MP said: “Given the uncertainties around the future of the A&E at North Manchester General Hospital together with proposed cuts to local pharmacies, it is vital that we maintain local services such as the walk-in centre in Prestwich so people have adequate access to healthcare when they need it.”

Bury CCG will make a final decision about the closures on December 21 2016.

If a decision is made to close, a full consultation with the public will follow beginning in January.

Cllr Iain Gartside, leader of the Conservative group on Bury Council, said he disagreed with the Labour group on the issue.

“Our position is that we are trusting the professionals on the ground at the CCG and their plans to redirect the walk-in centre services to six new hubs across the borough.

“This will result in better and more efficient services for patients in Bury.”

Mr Gartside added it was his understanding that £800,000 used to fund the walk-in centres will not be cut, but redirected to fund the new proposals.

Under the CCG’s plans for a restructure of urgent care provision in the borough, patients would first call 111 instead of visiting the walk-in centres and on the phone they could be directed to the right service they require.

Dr Kiran Patel, chair and clinical lead of Bury CCG, said many people who currently use the walk-in centres are redirected to other places for treatment, and suggested using the 111 line as a first port of call would get around this problem.

He added: “Many people who use the walk-in centres or go to A&E may well have been better going to a different treatment centre.

“This is about making sure we direct people to the right service in the first instance.”