Updated 7 May 2019
Sunderland GP Alliance – Disruptive Patient Service is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide primary care services. They provide care and treatment to currently 28 patients under a special allocation scheme, who have been removed from mainstream practice lists, as their behaviour posed a risk to general practice staff and patients. Patients are allocated for an initial 12 month period, and may be then returned to mainstream practice on successful completion of a risk review process. Patients must be over the age of 18. This practice is part of Sunderland clinical commissioning group (CCG) and operates on an Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) contract agreement for general practice.
The practice provides services from the Primary Care Services Pallion Health Centre, Hylton Road, Sunderland, SR4 7XF. It is managed from the Health Centre, The Galleries, Washington Centre, Washington, NE38 7NQ. We visited this address for the follow up inspection.
The practice is located in a purpose built property and provides services to patients on the ground floor. All patient access to the practice is via a dedicated secure entrance.
Patients can book appointments by telephone between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.
Pre-bookable appointments with a GP are available at the following times:
•Monday to Friday 12:30pm and 2pm
Attendance at appointments is subject to availability of appropriate security staff and police according to the patient’s risk assessment. Patients can generally get an appointment the same day. Patients requiring urgent care "outside of core service hours" could be seen as an emergency patient in Accident and Emergency Department. If patients contact NHS 111 their records are flagging that they are registered with the Disruptive Patient Service, the appropriate lone worker risk assessments are implemented. Patients were asked if they had caring responsibilities and were given the opportunity for feedback through patient surveys and an exit interview.
The service is provided by one male GP with one other who operates a buddy system in times of absence. There is also a named lead nurse with a buddy, and named management and administrative staff. The GPs are based at practices that are part of the Sunderland GP Alliance network. All other staff are based at The Galleries Health Centre, and follow standardised policies and procedures from this practice.
The provider, Sunderland GP Alliance is a collaboration of GP practices in Sunderland. The Board of Directors are elected by the Member GP Practices on a four year term, and are responsible for directing the company’s operations on the shareholders’ behalf. All the directors must be a Partner of a Member GP Practice.