Urgent Care in Sunderland is Changing
Patients in Sunderland will be able to access urgent care more simply and closer to home after changes to local NHS services on 1 August 2019.
From 1 August 2019, the best way to access NHS urgent care services will be to contact your GP practice or local pharmacy, or call NHS 111 when they are closed. Urgent care is for minor injuries or illnesses which need medical attention the same day, but are not serious enough for the Emergency Department.
Website: Urgent Care in Sunderland is Changing
From 1 August, these will be the main options for urgent care in Sunderland:
Looking After Yourself
Remember, many minor illnesses can be treated at home with advice from your local pharmacist or a well-stocked first aid kit. Find out more here.
Pharmacists
Your local pharmacist is highly trained and provides free, confidential advice on minor illnesses from sickness and diarrhoea to hay fever.
GP Practices
Your GP practice is the first place for most healthcare needs. In many practices you can consult the team in person, online, by phone or video. Our GP practices now collectively offer evening, weekend and bank holiday appointments at Washington, Southwick, Houghton, Pallion and Riverview Health Centre.
Appointments are booked through your own practice:
- Monday-Friday 6pm-8.30pm
- Weekends 9am-5.30pm
- Bank holidays 10am-2pm
Urgent Care Services
If you need urgent care, Pallion or Bunny Hill health centres are open 10am-10pm Monday to Friday; 8am-10pm weekends and bank holidays, no appointment needed. The current urgent care services at Houghton and Washington health centres will cease on 31 July 2019. The other NHS services based at these centres are not affected.
The urgent care centre at Pallion will be upgraded to become an Urgent Treatment Centre in December. We have therefore arranged for the urgent care service at Bunny Hill to stay open until then, to provide an extra option for patients.
NHS 111
If you have an urgent need which is not life-threatening, NHS 111 health advisors are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help you get the right medical attention for your needs.
Emergency Care
Please keep 999 and the Emergency Department (A&E) at Sunderland Royal Hospital for serious or life-threatening illness or injuries only. If your health need is not an emergency, you may be referred to a different service on arrival.
From 9 May until 2 September 2018, NHS Sunderland CCG engaged with over 2,500 people through surveys, public events, focus groups, emails and over the phone on the proposals for a new system of urgent care in Sunderland.