PATIENTS will no longer be able to simply turn up and receive treatment on weekdays at Harrow's flagship polyclinic.

NHS Harrow is restricting the opening hours of the walk-in clinic at Alexandra Avenue Health and Social Care Centre, in Alexandra Avenue in South Harrow, from 8am to 8pm every day to just 8am to 4pm on weekends and Bank Holidays.

Pinner Association health spokesman James Kincaid, who is vice-chairman of the local NHS monitoring umbrella organisation Community Voice, said: "The weakness is that, as far as I can detect, NHS Harrow has no solution. This is a fairly shortsighted way of saving some money.

"The centre was originally opened to reduce demand on Northwick Park Hospital's A&E and Urgent Care Centre and I can't see how this decision will help."

Furthermore visitors presenting at any of borough's three walk-in centres with 'clearly non urgent' needs, such as travel vaccines, cervical smears and routine dressings, will be turned away and told to visit their GP or a pharmacy instead.

Mr Kincaid said: "This is because NHS Harrow was effectively paying out twice for the same patient. It already pays surgeries a sum according to the number of patients, and was paying again for walk-in treatment.

"It is trying to encourage people to register with a practice and to use their GP facilities instead.

"To expect doctors to say 'Sorry, you're not registered here - make an appointment or come back at the weekend when the walk-in centre is open' is totally unrealistic and unfair."

Gareth Thomas, Harrow West's Labour MP, said: "While I'm glad none of the polyclinics have closed, in terms of having access to the best healthcare on your doorstep, it's a step backwards and disappointing."

NHS Harrow agreed new contracts on Thursday (Sept 1) for the retention of the Pinn Medical Centre, in Love Lane, Pinner, and the Urgent Care Clinic at Northwick Park Hospital in Watford Road, Harrow, which will start opening around the clock and begin treating minor injuries.

The Ridgeway Surgery, which runs the Alexandra Avenue walk-in service, one of London's first five polyclinics, said: "We will still be able to offer a value-for-money service when GP practices are closed and when out of hours services are at their most stretched."

The polyclinic space will be replaced on weekdays with an ordinary branch surgery of The Ridgeway Surgery.

NHS Harrow chief executive Rob Larkman said: "The board were delighted to be able to agree a new balance for urgent and out of hours care in Harrow, one that focuses on delivering care in the best setting, matching both our patients’ needs and clinical best-practice."

An agreement could not be reached for a new contract for the Harness Harrow GP Led Health Centre in Mollison Way, Edgware, and so the decision on its future was referred to local GPs by NHS Harrow.

The date on which all the changes take effect will be decided when the details of the deals are agreed.