Concerns raised over future of NHS walk-in centre

Concerns have been raised about the firm set to take over an NHS walk-in centre which has been at risk of closure twice in recent years.

Councillors said they were worried the contract for the centre in Norwich is going to a health firm owned by a group which featured in a BBC investigation in 2022.

Chilvers and McCrea is part of Operose Health, which Panorama found let less qualified staff, rather than doctors, see patients - without adequate supervision.

At the time, the company – which has been asked for comment – denied profit was prioritised ahead of patient care and said it had a clear process of supervision.

According to a document on the government's contract tender page, the company is due to take on the contract for the centre in April.

A council meeting also heard the health secretary had "called in" a decision to award the contract for Norfolk's Vulnerable Adults Service to a separate firm.

Norwich's walk-in centre - used by around 72,000 people annually - was at risk of closure in 2023 when the firm running it collapsed.

Along with the Vulnerable Adults Service, it was saved when Norfolk Primary Care, a not-for-profit community interest company, agreed to take over the contracts.

In 2025, NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) considered closing the walk-in centre to save money, but went on to drop the idea.

It later advertised the contracts for the services.

Chilvers and McCrea will take on the centre, as well as its neighbouring GP service and two other surgeries.

Lucy Shires, a Liberal Democrat county councillor, told a meeting of Norfolk's health overview and scrutiny committee it was "quite concerning" that its parent company Operose had featured on Panorama.

"That will rock public confidence, using a service that has been dragged through the media," she warned.

Whilst the BBC has asked Chilvers and McCrae and Operose for comment, rules of the contract procurement process prevent bidders from speaking to the media whilst it is ongoing.

The meeting also heard that Health Secretary Wes Streeting could intervene in the plan to award the contract for the Vulnerable Adults Service to provider One Medicare Ltd.

It was said that he had "called in" that decision.

The BBC has asked the Department for Health and Social Care and One Medicare for comment.

Green Norwich city councillor Lucy Galvin said she wanted to know why new operators were taking on services she described as "irreplaceable lifelines".

"The ICB has pushed through a major provider change with no clear assurance on continuity or how vulnerable patients will be protected," she said.

"The public deserves full transparency on why local, not‑for‑profit providers were passed over, how quality will be maintained, and what safeguards exist to stop profits being extracted from our local health system."

A spokesman for the ICB said it was "working through the procurement process to put in place new contracts for these services, and once this has been completed, we will share information about our plans for the future".

"In the meantime, all of these services continue to be open as usual for patients to use," he added.

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