First Care Clinics opened its newest urgent care facility today in Winchester at 480 Bullion Blvd. next to AT&T and the new Verizon Wireless store.

First Care hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the clinic Thursday, where members of the community were invited to tour the facility, meet the staff and receive a free lunch and T-shirt.

“We’re thrilled to continue fulfilling our mission of making quality healthcare accessible and affordable with the opening of our newest urgent care clinic in Winchester,” Rob Pantoja, Founder of First Care Clinics, said. “The opening of this clinic, along with several additional existing and planned First Care locations, provides us the opportunity to serve the community with healthcare that is focused on outstanding customer service and that also saves them time and money.”

The clinic will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week and will offer treatments for a wide variety of common illnesses, injuries and conditions, according to a First Care news release.

The clinic is equipped with multiple exam rooms, lab testing and digital x-ray capabilities.

Clinic director and family nurse practitioner Dawn Carpenter said the clinic will provide an alternative to more costly and time-consuming emergency room visits.

“For non-emergent needs or when primary care physicians are unavailable, First Care provides the right level of care at the right place and the right time, with weekend and evening hours that are particularly convenient for families,” Carpenter said. “Patients can walk in at a time that works best for them, with most patients in and out in less than an hour.”

Pantoja said the Winchester clinic is one of five First Care clinics now operating in Kentucky.