Walkden health centre plan will go to Secretary of State

Members of the health centre steering committee met with the head of the Salford Integrated Care Board on Friday to discuss the future of the plans.

The steering committee attended the event with Salford Mayor Paul Dennett, as well as the campaign’s new ambassador, MP Yasmin Qureshi.

Paul Whitelegg with residents at a previous discussion group for the plans (Image: Dan Dougherty)

Campaign leader Paul Whitelegg said: “On Friday, your 24/7 Walk-In Medical Centre Steering Group came together armed with raw data, facts, figures, your experiences, and your ideas.

“We presented our case directly to the stakeholders who have the power to make real change happen.

“A special thank you to our fantastic ambassador Yasmin Qureshi MP, Mayor Paul Dennett, and all local councillors who attended, including our newly elected councillors for Walkden North, Walkden South and Little Hulton.

“Our case is now heading straight to Westminster and will be put before the Secretary of State for Health! Thanks to Yasmin Qureshi, letters are already being drafted as we speak.

“We will be arranging a follow-up meeting with stakeholders to discuss the possibility of launching a pilot scheme for a Walk-In Centre right here in our area!”

“A special thank you also goes to James Jordan-Tkocz, whose research uncovered valuable information about successful Walk-In Centres operating in Scotland. His work has provided a potential model that stakeholders are now willing to explore.”

Paul began work on the scheme in late 2025 after speaking with residents, many of whom were unhappy with medical provision in the area.

One resident – Sandra Mazutaviciene – told of an incident involving her six-year-old son Theo, who’s hand became infected due to eczema.

Paul Whitelegg (right) with Walkden residents (Image: Paul Whitelegg)

She had to get a £20 taxi to Leigh in the middle of the night due to a lack of nearby health provision.

She also spoke of the difficulties of registering with a dentist in the area.

Several ideas have been proposed for the new health centre, including GP access, dentistry, opticians, and an ambulance bay.

A pilot-scheme will now allow the team to get real-world data on how the proposed walk-in centre would impact the Walkden and Little Hulton community.