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About Us
SDHC GP Federation was established in 2016 by the GP practices in Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford. Since then we have become a social enterprise, grown our membership to 25 practices in East Sussex and expanded our services, some of which span East Sussex.
Early on, SDHC provided evening and weekend appointments for member practices and trained and provided pharmacists and paramedics to support local practice. We gradually added other services, such as Care Home support at weekends, a Hot Site during the pandemic, a COVID-19 vaccination programme and supporting virtual wards. SDHC often delivers a range of clinical services at short notice to address the demanding winter pressures and beyond.
In recent years, SDHC has diversified to ensure our ability to continue to deliver NHS services. As part of this diversification, in partnership with Wave Active, we set up the charitable venture Hillbrow Health & Wellbeing.
In addition to our charitable venture, we have also diversified by launching a private GP service which aims to creates margins that we reinvest in our services that are free at the point of care.
SDHC Vision
Better Health & Wellbeing. Today & Tomorrow
SDHC Mission
People will experience the best possible health and wellbeing through accessible, sustainable, person-centred, safe, effective, and efficient services, with seamless transfers of care when required.
Practices and PCNs will be supported by SDHC through surge capacity, scale, and delivery support where appropriate.
The Integrated Care Board and other providers will witness and engage with an organisation that collaborates effectively across Sussex and delivers the best possible services – helping people to thrive and be the best they can, being healthier and feeling supported.
SDHC Values
Our values lay down the foundation of SDHC. They shape our priorities and define what matters most to us.
Care:
We care about our patients, colleagues, practices, and our vision and values.
Accountability:
We are all responsible for our words, actions, and results and take ownership of our work every day.
Respect:
We believe in the importance of all stakeholders, value their ideas and beliefs, and treat people with dignity and professionalism.
Empathy, Equality and Empowerment:
We seek to understand people, strive for equality and empower people to achieve what they need.
What is a GP Federation?
An ongoing tension in community healthcare is the size of a GP practice: too small and it is difficult to be sustainable, too big and it can be impersonal and bureaucratic. As increasing requirements on GPs have emerged with relatively less funding over the last 10-15 years, organisations have been set up by practices coming together that bring some economies of scale to healthcare in the community while maintaining the independence and other strengths of the practices. When these organisations are owned by the practices themselves, they are known as GP Federations.
Certified Social Enterprise
SHDC is a social enterprise with a clear focus on increasing access to community healthcare in East Sussex.
Unlike traditional businesses, our primary goal is not solely profit-making. We generate revenues to be able to reinvest back into the company to achieve our objectives whilst maintaining financial sustainability. This approach allows us to prioritise the needs of the community and ensure the long-term success of our organisation.
