Mobile clinics a hit with patients

MEDICS behind a mobile clinic which operates in Oldham are celebrating success among patients.

A survey of 534 patients found that 98 per cent would recommend it to someone else, and 99 per cent rated it as “excellent” or “good.”

One of those patients was Nathan Marshall, who received treatment at the Oldham clinic.
He said: “I’ve used the service for physiotherapy and podiatry treatment and each time I have had a really good experience.

“The units are convenient and you get seen quickly. All the staff are polite and helpful and there’s no waiting around.”

Questions were asked of people from seven towns in Greater Manchester, including Oldham, who have used the clinical assessment treatment service.

Run by independent healthcare provider Care UK, the clinics are staffed by consultants, nurses and other medical staff to provide quicker access to treatment in locations convenient to patients.

Figures show most patients are seen almost immediately — 82 per cent within 15 minutes of arriving at the clinic. Patients are referred by their GP, and are usually seen by a consultant within 14 days.

Compared with other types of health centres, 88 per cent of patients surveyed ranked it as “much better” or “better,” and 100 per cent of patients rated the cleanliness of the units as “excellent” or “good.”

Nine in 10 patients travelled by car, and for more than half of the patients surveyed, their journey took less than 15 minutes.

The mobile clinics are open 7.45am-8pm seven days a week, and offer a wide range of minor surgical procedures for people with orthopaedic conditions, urology, audiology, gynaecology, musculoskeletal and ear, nose and throat problems, as well as CT and MRI scanning facilities.