On 10 February 2026, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust announced new ways for families with babies and preschool children to get health support in Kirkby, Merseyside. The initiative, titled “Improving Local Health Services for Families with Young Children,” aims to make it easier for parents to find help for their children without needing to visit an emergency department for common, non‑life‑threatening issues.
Families can now use a dedicated Kirkby phone line or the Digital Front Door mobile app to be triaged to a health visitor or a paediatric nurse. Much of this support will be delivered from St Chad’s Walk‑in Centre (the Kirkby Urgent Treatment Centre), which is open from 08:00 to 20:00, 365 days a year.
The new, digital‑first system is intended to reduce long waits for routine concerns in hospital A&E. The Digital Front Door first launched on 7 January 2026; it allows parents to be triaged to same‑day appointments or, where clinically appropriate, to be assessed for a home visit. Reporters should verify service capacity and any increases in health visitor staffing with Mersey Care to support claims about the scale of home‑visit availability.
The project is a partnership between Mersey Care, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council and local GP practices, including Dr Maassarani and Partners, to integrate local primary care and community teams. Families can also find additional clinics and drop‑in sessions at community sites such as The Pride Centre (2 Simonswood Lane), which forms part of Knowsley’s Family Hub network.
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