Suffolk GP Federation is a GP Federation of 61 independent GP practices in Suffolk with a total registered population of 540,000. It is at present a registered community interest company, but is considering becoming one large partnership.[1]

Dr Paul Driscoll is its chairman. It won a £10 million contract to provide a full community service for patients with diabetes for five years from April 2014. It offers diabetes screening, training and care for patients with a dedicated helpline and mobile dietetic, podiatry and antenatal clinics in the GP surgeries.[2] It has helped to launch the Suffolk GP Fellowship scheme, which offers trainees a twelve month contract with training opportunities.[3] It is intended to boost recruitment of GPs in the county.[4]

It was founded in 2007 and now provides a portfolio of NHS-funded services in Suffolk and northeast Essex. These include:

1. Urgent care — out-of-hours, GP+ (weekend and evening booked appointments), ED streaming in Ipswich and West Suffolk hospitals and a minor injuries centre in Felixstowe. 2. Primary care - Unity GP practice in Haverhill. 3. Community services including ultrasound, cardiology, diabetes, podiatry, fracture prevention, bladder and bowel, and stoma.

It also has a portfolio of Suffolk primary care support services including GP and nurse retention and support, training and development and other member services.

It runs a service called Suffolk GP+ which offers appointments to patients on bank holidays and out of hours. Patients attending the A&E department at Ipswich Hospital and a West Suffolk Hospital, who are assessed as have minor ailments are offered an appointment with the service, which has access to their GP record. £2 million from the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund finances the service.[5]

It launched Suffolk Primary Care in April 2017. This is a partnership of 12 GP practices with a total of 102,529 registered patients. It plans to implement new care models using pharmacists, physiotherapists and other professionals to support doctors.[6]

It took over the Christmas Maltings & Clements Practice in Haverhill in May 2017.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "GP federation could create a 'super partnership' covering 540,000 patients". Health Service Journal. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "GP federation awarded £10m diabetes contract". Pulse. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Recruitment drive launches today in bid to boost Suffolk's GP numbers". Ipswich Star. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Surgeries in parts of Suffolk need 33% increase in GP numbers to cope with patient demand". East Anglian Daily Times. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Suffolk GP project to give better access out of hours already proving to be a success". Ipswich Star. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Practice federation forms 113,000 patient super-partnership". GP Online. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "Haverhill GP practice set for a new way of working after management takeover". Haverhill Echo. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
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