THE first steps to provide a GP-led health drop-in centre in Hereford started this week.

Advertisements were appearing in health service journals nationally inviting inquiries from groups or organisations interested in setting one up.

They have been given a June 6 deadline to apply and a contract is expected to be awarded in December in time for the service to be introduced next April.

Details have still to be ironed out and special workshops will be held by Herefordshire Primary Care Trust involving people who are interested in starting the scheme.

But the original concept of a big new drop-in centre offering everything is not likely to happen.

Paul Edwards, commissioning director for the PCT, said it was hoped to develop a service that was best for Herefordshire, a model that would help make the most of existing services and not duplicate those already in existence.

By chance, the PCT was about to go out to tender over its current out-of-hours service because the existing contract with Primecare ending next April.

These services cover GPs from 6pm to 8am, Monday to Friday, all hours every weekend and bank holidays.

It could be that the next contract for emergency GP services will see the provider also taking on those hours between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Friday with a centre somewhere in Hereford.

At the moment the out-of-hours GP surgery is based near the A&E department at Hereford County Hospital, having moved out of the Gaol Street clinic last year.

The move has been reported as successful because people reporting to the A&E unit with minor problems can be directed to the GP centre nearby.