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Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has announced the Phoenix Centre in Parkfield Road will be closing two hours earlier, starting on November 3. The centre, where people can attend without an appointment, will close at 6pm rather than 8pm as it does currently. A statement from the trust advises patients that they will still be able to use the urgent treatment centre at New Cross Hospital, which is open 24 hours a day. But Councillor Simon Bennett, leader of the opposition Conservative group on Wolverhampton Council, urged the trust to reconsider, fearing it will place extra strain on the hospital. He said he would also be writing to Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden about the matter. The decision comes six years after the Phoenix Centre was upgraded to an urgent care centre, meaning its opening hours were extended from 10am-7pm to 8am-8pm. Councillor Bennett said: "The Phoenix Centre is a vital local community asset, and reducing its hours will put pressure not only on the local community, who might not be able to travel to New Cross, but also on the hospital itself. "I fear it will mean longer wait times as more patients are directed to New Cross. It's a real shame that they have taken this decision, and I will be asking them to reverse it." The trust said people would also be able to access medical advice through the NHS 111 helpline, or from their local chemist shop.
