Campaigners bidding to save their borough’s remaining walk-in centre have received cross-party support from their council on the issue.

Patients who use The Pinn Medical Centre, in Love Lane, hope to block plans by Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to change its walk-in services to appointment-only.

They met with local politicians this week to outline their concerns and said they have received support from both Labour and Conservative representatives.

The CCG plans to create an appointment-only system at the surgery, following on from similar transitions at other centres in Harrow.

The future of a second walk-in centre, which is only open to patients registered at the Pinn, is “under review as per the NHS England’s mandate”.

Opponents to the proposals believe they will negatively impact on those who rely on the walk-in services and will push them towards using emergency services.

Joanne Daswani, chairman of the Pinn Medical Centre Patients Association, said: “The CCG’s proposal makes no sense at all – everyone knows we should be trying to reduce pressure on A&E departments not increasing it.

“Surely with all parties promising to boost NHS funding it is madness now to introduce a proposal that threatens the closure of an essential service that directly benefits 40,000 patients a year in Harrow and beyond.”

And Dr Amol Kelshiker, senior partner at the Pinn Medical Centre, called for a “full impact assessment” on the economic consequences of the changes.

He noted that a visit to the Pinn costs the NHS £17, whereas seeing someone in A&E would cost £120 a time.

He said: “This is a colossal – and entirely avoidable – waste of precious NHS resources when its budgets have never been under greater pressure.

“To make matters worse, A&E departments increasingly ask us to cut down drastically on referring patients to them. They are already at breaking point.”

According to the CCG, the decision to change to appointment-only is to “increase access to primary care” and, in the Pinn’s case, provide services for those living in Harrow.

If the change does take place, those not registered with a Harrow GP will be unable to use the surgery.

Patients would also need to book an appointment with the health centre or call NHS 111.

Javina Seghal, managing director of Harrow CCG, also pointed out that the decision is part of a wider NHS initiative.

Walk-in services at Alexandra Avenue Health Centre and Belmont Health Centre transitioned to an appointment-only system in the past 13 months.