NHS Cambridgeshire is expected to give the go-ahead today (Wednesday) for a new long-hours surgery in St Neots. There were more than 500 responses to NHS Cambridgeshire – the new name for Cambridgeshire Primary Care Trust –during a six-week consultation

NHS Cambridgeshire is expected to give the go-ahead today (Wednesday) for a new long-hours surgery in St Neots.

There were more than 500 responses to NHS Cambridgeshire - the new name for Cambridgeshire Primary Care Trust -during a six-week consultation in the summer.

The new GP-led health centre will be open 8am to 8pm seven days a week, including bank holidays. People will be free to register at the new medical centre or use walk-in for one-off illnesses, injuries or healthcare.

Half the respondents said they would be likely to use the new service, 51 per cent because it would be more convenient and 36 per cent because of the extended hours.

In the 2008 local health services survey for NHS Cambridgeshire, 23 per cent of respondents said that they were put off going to the see the GP because of surgery opening times.

A spokesman said: "Some respondents expressed concerns about continuity of care and the over-use of locum GPs.

"Access was also a key issue, both public transport and parking. Some 46 per cent of respondents said that they wanted new medical centre to be in the town centre, 26 per cent a mile from the town and 29 per cent wanted it out of town, for example at a retail or industrial park."

Nearly all respondents thought a range of services should be available for residents who do not register with the health centre and only use it when necessary. For example, 84 per cent of respondents wanted treatment for minor injuries, 72 per cent minor illnesses, 64 per cent immunisations and vaccinations and 62 per cent believed that sexual health services and family planning should be available.