Objectives:
To determine the impact of establishing walk-in centres alongside emergency departments
on attendance rates, visit duration, process, costs and outcome of care.
Methods:
Eight hospitals with co-located emergency departments and walk-in centres were compared
with eight matched emergency departments without walk-in centres. Site visits were
conducted. Routine data about attendance numbers and use of resources were analysed. A
random sample of records of patients attending before and after walk-in centres opened
were also assessed. Patients who had not been admitted to hospital were sent a postal
questionnaire.
Results:
In most sites, the walk-in centres did not have a distinct identity and there were few
differences in the way services were provided compared with control sites. Overall, there
was no evidence of an increase in attendance at sites with walk-in centres, but considerable
variability across sites. The proportion of patients managed within the four-hour NHS target
improved at sites both with and without walk-in centres. There was no evidence of any
difference in re-consultation rates, costs of care or patient outcomes at sites with or without
walk-in centres.
Conclusions:
Most hospitals in this study implemented the walk-in centre concept to a very limited extent.
Consequently there was no evidence of any impact on attendance rates, process, costs or
outcome of care
