Updated 12 July 2019
Wearside Medical Practice provides care and treatment to approximately 7,483 patients, of all ages, living in Hylton and the surrounding areas of Sunderland. The practice is part of NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group and operates on a Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract.
The practice provides services from the following address.
- Pallion Health Centre, Hylton Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR4 7XF.
We visited this address as part of this inspection.
The practice is located in a purpose built, two-storey building. There is a lift to the first floor. There is on-site parking, including for patients with disabilities. The service shares the premises with a walk-in centre and other GP practices.
The practice has two GPs partners (one male and one female). The male GP partner has not worked at the practice for over 12 months and does not play an active part in the management of the practice. The female GP partner told us NHS England had recently varied the practice’s NHS England contract to remove this GP. They also said they would shortly submit an application to register as an individual, to ensure their Care Quality Commission registration was correct. A new salaried GP (female) has been appointed. The practice also employs an advanced nurse practitioner (female), two practice nurses (female), and two healthcare assistants (female). There are also a range of non-clinical staff members including: a practice manager; an administrative team leader; receptionists; a clinical coder; and three administrative apprentices.
Information taken from Public Health England placed the area in which the practice is located in the third most deprived decile. This shows the practice serves an area where deprivation is higher than the England average. In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have a greater need for health services. The practice has fewer patients under 18 years of age, and over 65 years of age, than the England averages. The percentage of people with a long-standing health condition is above the England average, as is the percentage of patients with caring responsibilities. National data shows that 6.8% of the population are from an Asian background, 1% are black and 1.4% are from other non-white ethnic groups.