suffolk gp federation suffolk gp federation 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. 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. it has helped to launch the suffolk gp fellowship scheme, which offers trainees a twelve month contract with training opportunities. it is intended to boost recruitment of gps in the county. 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. 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. it took over the christmas maltings & clements practice in haverhill in may 2017.