Gainsborough hospital is upgrading to include an Urgent Treatment Centre

The change at John Coupland Hospital in Gainsborough will be officially introduced on Monday, November 2, and underlines LCHS’s commitment to provide a consistent level of urgent treatment care across Lincolnshire, to safeguard the county’s busy A&E services facing winter flu and coronavirus admissions.

Benefits of an Urgent Treatment Centre for patients include bookable appointments, which were introduced at Gainsborough last month in readiness for the switch to a UTC level of service, and a range of additional services including X-rays, pregnancy, urine and blood tests.

Tracy Pilcher, deputy chief executive and director of nursing, allied health professionals and operations at LCHS, said: “The opening of our latest Urgent Treatment Centre at Gainsborough underlines our commitment to offer quality care, closer to home for people in Lincolnshire.

“Our Gainsborough Urgent Treatment Centre will now be able to provide urgent medical attention for a range of conditions including strains and sprains, broken limbs, cuts and grazes to coughs and colds, stomach pains and minor eye problems.

“Our friendly team will be joined by some new faces to deliver the same high levels of care available at our other urgent care sites across the county.

“To help us help our patients, especially with the busier winter months ahead and the challenges of coronavirus, we’re encouraging patients who need medical help or advice to Talk before you Walk and call the free NHS 111 service, available 24/7 to get the right care to meet their needs.

"The NHS 111 service can arrange an appointment at any one of our local urgent treatment centres, helping to minimise waiting times and supporting social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus. All calls to NHS 111 from landlines and mobiles are free.”

Patients who choose to visit the Gainsborough UTC in person will be assessed and, depending on their clinical needs, may be offered an appointment to come back later for treatment.

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