A UNION representative has hit out at changes to the service at Trafford General's Urgent Care Centre.

Messenger revealed last week that, from October 3, the Urgent Care Centre (UCC) and Walk-in Centre are to join forces.

The service will be staffed by GPs, and experienced advanced and emergency nurse practitioners, among other clinicians.

But the opening hours will be reduced. The service will operate between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week - whereas the current Urgent Care Centre opens from 8am to midnight.

Health bosses pointed out that the changes were always planned and claimed it was 'business as usual' for patients, who would benefit as they will no longer have to decide where to go for urgent health advice and treatment at the Trafford General site.

But Bob Sharples, a Unison shop steward, hit out at the shake -up.

He said: "This is a reduction in services, they have been downgraded.

"It is a disgraceful decision.

"The hours have been reduced, so where are the patients going to go after that time?

"The people of Trafford are getting a second class service.

"They says it is 'business as usual'. It is not, it is a reduction in services."

He said he appreciated that these plans were already been in the pipeline but claimed the health service had failed to deliver on expanding Wythenshawe Hospital's A& E department to compensate.

Gina Lawrence, chief operating officer at NHS Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “The change to a nurse-led model of care was always in our plans.

“What we’ve been able to do is expand the service that was originally envisaged, and provide advanced emergency nurse practitioners and GPs who will be able to continue the current level of urgent care required.

"The move to the new model is GP-led and supported by all our key partners in Trafford."

Health bosses claim that the number of patients attending after 8pm is very low, amounting to three to four per hour after that time.

Stretford and Urmston MP Kate Green said: "While changes to the Urgent Care Centre were first proposed three years ago, it's troubling that they're happening at such short notice, reflecting the huge pressures faced by the NHS.

"The top priority has to be patient safety. Tory cuts mean our A&Es are failing to meet waiting time targets, and GP surgeries are overstretched because they can't recruit new doctors. The Government must ensure our NHS has the resources it needs."