"Walk in centre - what's the point?"

My friend told me that a mole on my back looked like one he'd recently had removed and advised me to have it checked out. I went to the Boots walk-in centre in Manchester city centre and asked the doctior to have a look.

He told me that he couldn't tell me that it's malignant or to go home and not worry so I should make an appointment to have it checked at my GP surgery. All fair enough, and these are questions that I could not satisfy myself so my question is, what was the point of going to the walk-in centre? I am always able to get a an appointment at a convenient time at my GP (The Docs on Bloom St) and am treated quickly and courteously - indeed it's Monday morning and I just called the surgery and have an appointment for this afternoon.

I am concerned that if these walk-in centres are evaluated by the number of people that have attended, the NHS will continue to waste more money rather than supporting those services in our communities that really work for people - this experience feels like simply adding another layer to what should have been a one-stop visit to my existing GP service and did not provide me with ay additonal information or advice that I will not get from my GP this afternoon but two episodes of service will be charged to the NHS..