Updated 16 March 2017
The GP Out of Hours service for Hampshire including Southampton and Portsmouth since our last inspection is now provided by Partnering Health limited; previously under the name of Portsmouth Health Limited. When the name of the provider changed there was no change in legal entity for the Care Quality Commission.
Partnering Health Limited currently provides two services: the Out of Hours service for Hampshire and an NHS Primary Care walk-in centre and GP Practice in the centre of Portsmouth. This inspection report refers to the inspection of the Out of Hours service registered as Hampshire Doctors on Call Service.
Hampshire Doctors On Call service was launched on 15 April 2015 with more than 100 employees from the previous service provider who transferred via TUPE arrangements into the new service (TUPE is the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations 1981, implemented to protect employment rights when employees transfer from one business to another).
The service is commissioned by five Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG’s):
• Fareham and Gosport CCG
• Portsmouth CCG
• South Eastern Hampshire CCG
• Southampton City CCG
• West Hampshire CCG
The Partnering Health Limited contract is with, West Hampshire CCG, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire CCG and Southampton CCG. Partnering Health Ltd currently manage the service for all the listed CCG’s on an individual basis but work collaboratively regarding contract management and delivery of service.
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England, bordered by Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex. Data shows an increasing population, specifically the over 65 year old population has increased by 21% between 2001 and 2011; nearly double the national increase of 11%. This has increased pressure on health and social care provisions in the region. A total of 95.5% of the population are registered with a GP and there are a lower than average proportion of Black and Minority Ethnic residents in Hampshire.
The Out of Hours service provides care to patients who require urgent medical care from GPs and nurses outside of normal GP hours. Currently 347 members of staff including GPs (150 as self-employed GPs), nurses, drivers and support staff work for the service delivering care to patients.
The service operates county wide from 6.30pm until 8am Monday to Thursday, and 6.30pm Friday until 8am Monday, and all public holidays. Hampshire Doctors on Call Service does not offer walk-in appointments; access to the service is via the national NHS 111 call line. In Hampshire this is a service provided by the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) from their base at Otterbourne near Winchester.
The service provides care to a population of approximately 1.76 million (2011 census) residing in the area and operates from 10 primary care centres geographically spread across the county. The 10 primary care centres are:
• Andover Hospital, Andover SP10 3LB
• Chase Hospital, Bordon GU35 0YZ
• Cowplain Health Space, Waterlooville PO8 8DL
• Gosport War Memorial Hospital, Gosport PO12 3PW
• Lymington Hospital, Lymington SO41 8QD
• Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth PO6 3LY
• Ringwood Medical Centre, Ringwood BH24 1JY
• Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester SO22 5DG
• Royal South Hampshire Hospital, Southampton SO14 0YG
• Totton Health Centre, Totton SO40 3ZN
At the time of our inspection a new registered manager application was being made by the service.
Hampshire Doctors on Call Service is registered to provide three regulated activities: diagnostic and screening procedures, transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely and treatment of disease, disorder and injury.
The main primary care centre is based within Royal South Hampshire Hospital, Southampton SO14 0YG and is the registered location with Care Quality Commission. Members of our inspection team visited this primary care centre on 29 September 2016 and Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth PO6 3LY on 30 September 2016.