PLANS to close Southampton’s Bitterne Walk-In Centre have been put forward again.

Months after health chiefs shelved the plans following a public outcry, proposals to shut the facility have been proposed again.

Southampton City Clinical Care Commissioning Group (CCG) has launched a consultation on its proposals, saying it would allow the organisation to spend its “limited resources where they will have the greatest impact”.

Last year the organisation put forward plans for a pilot to close it for six months, but decided against implementing it after residents and politicians of all parties opposed the move.

However it said at the time it would revisit the plans after the General Election, and now has launched consultation on closing it for good.

In a statement, the organisation said: “The biggest challenge currently facing the NHS in Southampton is how we support the growing number of our residents who are living with long term conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or dementia, for which they often need lifelong support to manage their daily lives.

“The CCG has therefore been looking at care provided in the community to ensure we have got the balance of services right. What has become clear is that we need to prioritise developing and maintaining health services for the increasing number of people with long term health problems, many of whom need complex care provided by nurses in the community or at home. We can only spend our money once so to address this challenge we need to look carefully at all of our services.

“For these reasons, we are seeking your views on our proposals to close the walk-in service at Bitterne Health Centre to enable us to spend our limited resources where they will have the greatest health impact.”

Consultation has now begun and will run until September 4.

Public meetings on the plans will take place from 6.30-8pm at St Coleman’s Catholic Church Hall in Bitterne Road East on July 9; from noon to 9pm on a stand at the Mela Festival in Hoglands Park on July 11 and the health event stand at the Central Baptist Church in Devonshire Road on July 24.

There will also be a meeting from 6.30-8pm at the Central Hall in St Mary’s on July 28 and Southampton Pensioners Forum will hear the plans at its meeting from 2-4pm on August 10.

You can take part in the consultation online at southamptoncityccg.nhs.uk