TEENAGE girls wanting emergency contraception will be helped by a 'walk-in' centre planned for Leigh Infirmary.

The £120,000 scheme at the minor injuries unit is one of 22 year-long pilots announced by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

It will give patients the opportunity to see a doctor or nurse face-to-face without an appointment, to seek treatment or information on a wide range of minor conditions.

The plan by Leigh's new Primary Care Group and the NHS Trust has highlighted five groups of patients for the walk in service:

people not registred with a GP, particularly the 'difficult' groups - homeless and drug users.

patients worried about delays in receiving GP advice.

patients who have general health concerns and don't want to give up work time to see a doctor.

patients from the NHS Direct service.,

Young teenagers who require emergency contraception.

Wigan and Bolton Health Authority were told on Wednesday in a report from Leigh PCG chief executive Ken Cuthbertson that at the moment the women only obtained the morning after pill.

"A recent survey showed that all under 16s interviewed expressed a preference for follow-up advice in the MIU were this to be made available," said Mr Cuthbertson.

The proposal is for a specialist nurse or health visitor to give advice on sexual health.

"This would also assist in the recent Government target of reducing unwanted teenage pregnancies." said Mr Cuthbertson.

The 'walk-in' centre would also provide satellite GP out of hours facilities for the Wigan Metro Medical Services and Salford On-Call who cover most of the GP practices in the Leigh area.

Local GPs have given their support for the scheme despite some scepticism as to its value and whether it will fulfil a need.

From April 1998 to April 1999, the nurse-led MIU had 40 consultations for the morning after pill out of over 21,000 other consultations and treatment.

Twelve were from girls in the 6-16 age group; 18 in the 17-25 age group, nine (26-40 ), one (41-65).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.