NHS chiefs have quashed rumours that a town centre walk-in health centre is closing less than two years after it opened.

Rumours have been circulating that the walk-in centre run by Great Western Hospital’s community services team at the Islington Street health centre will close at the end of the month.

Indeed, one woman who called the Adver concerned about the alleged plans said she had been told the rumour by a health professional at the walk-in centre itself.

But Swindon NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, which pays for the service, says the rumours are wrong. Or at least not wholly accurate.

From late June or early July, the walk-in centre will be run by company Medvivo. The Wiltshire firm already runs out-of-hours GP services in Swindon.

According to the CCG, this means that more services will be offered at the centre, which is open daily from 8am to 6pm.

Some services, like blood tests, will eventually need to be booked in advance.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for Swindon CCG said: “We understand that the walk-in centre is a well-used resource within the town’s healthcare system, but we also know that many people who use it often face a lengthy wait, which is why some changes – including a new provider of services from the summer – are being introduced.

“While this does not mean the walk-in centre is closing, more of the services offered at the centre, such as blood tests and wound care, will become available through planned appointments which, over time, will be able to be booked online by patients from across Swindon.

“We are aiming to bring the SUCCESS and walk-in centre services based at the Swindon NHS Health Centre, into one service to reduce the confusion in terms of multiple urgent care services on the site.

“The services available at the centre for homeless people will also continue to be offered as they are now. The CCG is working with colleagues – such as the Great Western Hospital and Medvivo – to enhance healthcare services in Swindon and we will ensure that any proposed changes are fully explained before being implemented.”

The CCG is yet to confirm when online booking of appointments and routine tests will begin.