A pioneering health centre will see its opening hours cut this week.

And as the opening times of Bradford’s NHS walk-in service change on Thursday, patients registered with local GPs are being urged to seek urgent care from their own GP practice, rather than queue at the centre.

Hillside Bridge GP-led Health Centre in Barkerend has provided both a GP practice to registered patients and a walk-in service to any patients from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week since it was opened in November 2008, by then Health Secretary Alan Johnson.

The centre was the first of its kind in the country, but from Thursday its opening hours will be cut to 2pm until 8pm, seven days a week, after a public consultation found the service was not cost efficient.

Dr Damian Riley, medical director at NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds, said: “This change was needed to make sure the walk-in service is used to its best advantage and continues to provide real value for money.

“More patients than expected, especially those who already have a GP elsewhere in the district, have been using the service, even though their own GP has been available.

“The service will still be open to anyone not registered with a GP practice in the district who needs urgent care from a GP. But the place for most patients to go, when they have a minor illness or injury, is their own GP practice, and this is where people will be advised to go if they attend the walk-in service.

“We are working closely with practices in the BD3 postcode to continue to improve access to patients’ own GPs, and we will continue to review the impact of the change in opening hours to make sure the service works better for the patients who really need it.”

A review earlier this year found the vast majority of patients using the centre were already registered with local GPs and seeking a second opinions, treatment and appointments during the day when they could be seen by their own doctor.

It meant the primary care trust, NHS Bradford and Airedale, was paying twice for their care.

Registered patients at Hillside Bridge GP practice, can still access appointments from 8am.

But patients registered with a GP in Bradford and Airedale are asked to contact their own practice for urgent care from 8am to 6.30pm on weekdays, instead of going to the walk-in service.

At weekends patients registered with a practice in the district should contact West Yorkshire Urgent Care Services on 03456 059999 for urgent health problems.

The change allows appointments at the walk-in service to be prioritised for patients who are not registered with a GP, and in particular communities such as asylum seekers, homeless people, travellers and refugees. A service will also be offered for people who are temporary residents in the district and not registered at a Bradford and Airedale practice.