REDDITCH MP Rachel Maclean has submitted her petition for a GP-led urgent care centre to the House of Commons.

The Advertiser revealed that the Member of Parliament launched the Parliamentary Petition at the end of February, urging the promised GP-led urgent care centre to be delivered at the town's Alexandra Hospital as soon as possible.

The MP says that a care centre was promised to Redditch as part of the heavily criticised consultation into acute services in Worcestershire which concluded last year.

The GP-led Urgent Care Centre will work alongside the A&E at the Alex, and will treat adults and children with minor or moderate illnesses and injuries.

Mrs Maclean, who presented her petition to the parliamentary authorities earlier this week, stressed that the opening of the urgent care centre will not result in the further downgrading of A&E.

"After the inaction from local health bosses to deliver on their promise of opening the Urgent Care Centre at the Alex, I was determined to demonstrate strong local support for this vital service," she said.

“Thank you to the more than 1,000 residents who signed my petition, I am very grateful for your support.

“It clearly demonstrates that Redditch wants this new service to open as soon as possible as it will give parents the peace of mind that their children can be treated at their local hospital."

She added: “After submitting my petition, the House of Commons will now get the Government to put pressure on local health bosses to open this vital service without further delay.

“Local health bosses it is now over to you. You promised this urgent care centre to the people of Redditch, now get on and deliver it, without delay.”

The petition calls on the House of Commons to urge the Government to press the local health authorities in Redditch and Worcester to publish their detailed plans for the implementation of the urgent care centre.