Corby Urgent Care Centre

The problem with writing a weekly column is that often the main story I've written about has moved on since I filed the copy.  This is a bit of a nuisance, because it makes me look like I'm way behind the times.

However, on this occasion I sincerely hope that the problem I'm going to discuss is resolved by the time you read this.

I'll be honest, when I saw the headline 'Corby Urgent Care Centre to close' on Facebook, I thought to myself that this fake news thing has gone too far.

So I turned to Twitter, and sure enough there was more about it on there, with people simply asking 'How?  Why?  This can't be true!'

Corby Urgent Care Centre is a wonderful facility, and one that every member of my family has needed to use over the years.

Now, as you know, I'm not a politician, an NHS bigwig, or an accountant - I don't 'do Maths' if I can help it.

But I do know this - Corby and its villages desperately need this facility.  The fact that it's been treating double the number of patients than was originally thought or planned for surely is a good indicator to somebody, somewhere how necessary this is?

Over 76,000 patients a year go through its doors.  If it does close, as is being said on news reports, on Friday 31st March, these people are going to have to head up the A6003 to Kettering General's A&E department - already overstretched - to be treated.

Never mind building a new two-storey car park, they'll need to create a park and ride near the Harvester/new Police station.

With more and more houses being built and this area's population rapidly expanding, the demand for NHS services is in turn increasing.

It would be complete and utter madness if this well-used, vital centre closed due to lack of sufficient funding.  Somebody, somewhere find the money to sort this out please.

And if it's already sorted, thanks - and please don't ever scare us like that again.