Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has pledged to keep an NHS walk-in centre open if Labour forms the next government.

The Labour politician visited The Cricklewood GP Health Centre, at the Britannia Business Centre, Cricklewood Lane, Cricklewood, to meet staff and patients with Finchley and Golders Green candidate Sarah Sackman yesterday.

Barnet’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is discussing whether to close the centre when its contract runs out in December.  

READ MORE: NHS walk-in centre faces closure 

Mr Burnham said: “I can make a very clear commitment, if I am in the job in a few weeks' time we will immediately stop it being closed.

“It does not make sense financially to close it. All that will happen is we push people towards A&E. This is an expanding community, a growing community, with high need for primary care.

“These walk in centres are a valuable part of the system at a time when people are finding it harder and harder to get GP services.”

Mr Burnham also spoke about his plans to integrate the NHS and social care.

He said: “I would say the care cuts are the cause of the A&E crisis. Hospitals are at their limits because they are too full of people who should not be there. I believe we have to start thinking of it as a single budget, a national health and care service.”

Discussing Labour’s proposed mansion tax, he said: “The commitment we are giving is it is not for the general pot, but for the NHS, for what we call a time to care fund. That will be essential in bringing in a new generation of NHS staff.

“It’s difficult and I understand people might have concerns, but we think it’s the responsible thing to do to identify a new source of revenue for the NHS. The Government’s approach on that has been flawed.”

Ms Sackman said closing walk-in centres, combined with longer A&E waiting times, would be a “recipe for disaster”.

She told the assembled group: “The stay of execution has only been extended to December, but do tell your neighbours and everyone you know who uses it. We want to keep it open.”

A Barnet CCG spokesman said last month: “Discussions are being held with NHS England who commission GP services, and the clinicians who provide the service at the site, about options for the future of this service.  No decision has yet been made.

"A key factor to these discussions is also knowing what our patients think about unplanned care and we are planning to engage with local residents to discuss their needs around access to these services.” 

Mike Freer, Conservative candidate for Finchley and Golders Green, has since issued a statement accusing Labour of “weaponising” the NHS.

He said: “I have spoken with the NHS who have stated that as the contract renews at the end of the year, they will engage with residents to see what services they would like to see at Cricklewood Walk in Centre. In my opinion, the NHS would not be asking people what services they need if the Centre was closing.

“Labour should stop their shameful weaponising our local NHS for political purposes, which does nothing but scare people.”